Preparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) system

• Subject Area: Molecular Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566602217

The device we apply for is a preparative chromatographic system that uses supercritical carbon dioxide as a mobile phase and is designed for the separation of regioisomers and enantiomers. This represents a valuable expansion of the instruments available in Göttingen, as it overcomes the actual synthetic limitations in our department. The proposed device will allow enantio- or isomer-pure key compounds to be obtained in synthetically relevant quantities and later used as starting compounds for further studies. The choice of supercritical carbon dioxide as the mobile phase is based on the previous experience we have gained at the analytical level on the projects of the enantioselective synthesis of polyarenes. Supercritical liquid chromatography (SFC) is superior to traditional HPLC, particularly for projects related to helicenes and nanographenes derived from them, which are regularly characterized by extremely poor solubility in common solvents. The proposed SFC will enable further studies with these promising materials by making them available in relevant quantities (multi-100 mg). We also consider racemic syntheses in larger batches and a final separation of the enantiomers at the very late stage. Moreover, even when enantioselective routes high enantiomeric excesses, a final purification is necessary to remove any trace of the undesired enentiomer. The helicenes and nanographenes prepared in our laboratory will be used to development of sensors, specialized light emitters and/or molecular motors.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: System zur präparativen überkritischen Flüssigkeitschromatographie (SFC)
• Instrumentation Group: 1350 Flüssigkeits-Chromatographen (außer Aminosäureanalysatoren 317), Ionenaustauscher
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Manuel Alcarazo