The Future of Purification

The essence of research is to seek answers wherever there are questions. Regardless of what the answers are the experiments to be conducted must be carried out with utmost care. For this, one must ensure that the quality of the reactants used and the products obtained are of the highest possible purity. In general terms, one can broadly categorise experimental chemistry and biological chemistry into the following areas  

Isolation and identification of substances (natural products from nature, protein purification and characterisation, etc). 

Synthesis of substances (organic, or inorganic in nature these substances may be known substances or new compounds). 

Analysis of substances (this is a key process in the identification of new or known chemical and biological substances. Methods of analysis include spectroscopic methods, derivatisation and sequencing methods). 

Measurements of particular properties of a compound or substance (enzyme kinetics, reaction kinetics, FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, assay). 

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The book also outlines recent developments in synthe (e.g., combinatorial chemishy, solid support chemistry, fluorous chemistry) and the corresponding purification procedures that will provide maiiy of the commercially supplied chrnnical substances in years to come. Additionally, interesting perspective out the future of purification Is jHovided by the autiuxrs, based on their years of experience. 

Chapters 1 and 2 have been reorganised and updated in line with recent developments. A new chapter on the Future of Purification has been added. It outlines developments in syntheses on solid supports, combinatorial chemistry as well as the use of ionic liquids for chemical reactions and reactions in fluorous media. These technologies are becoming increasingly useful and popular so much so that many future commercially available substances will most probably be prepared using these procedures. Consequently, a knowledge of their basic principles will be helpful in many purification methods of the future. 

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