Example Evaluation of three different reagents in a synthetic procedure

Example Evaluation of three different reagents in a synthetic procedure 

Assume that three different reagents A, B, and C, can be used to achieve a synthetic transformation. It is desired to select the most promising one for future development. 

In addition to the type of reagent used, three experimental variables are assumed to influence the responses yield and selectivity. These variables are  

The most common approach to this problem is to run only one experiment with each reagent under standardized conditions in which 1, 2 and 3 are maintained at fixed levels. A moment of reflexion reveals that this may be misleading. The type of reagent can interact with the variables and give compensatory effects e.g. one reagent may be useful at a low temperature but may have a poor selectivity at ambient temperature, while another reagent may be insensitive to temperature variation. 

To be absolutely sure is to know everything. In this case, this would require a knowledge of the roles played by all experimental perturbations of the reaction conditions. To make an absolutely fair comparison of the reagents, it would be 

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