Faster Chemistry eyes reaction workup

A new firm, Faster Chemistry, has launched to offer chemists an alternative to the traditional liquid-liquid extraction used during reaction workups. Founded by Bo Xu and Gerald B. Hammond, who were colleagues at the University of Louisville, Faster Chemistry offers a powder with an affinity for organic compounds. When added to a reaction mixture, the powder absorbs organics into its polymer coating. The resulting solid is then removed by filtration, and target compounds are eluted with an organic solvent. Workup time is cut by 50% and solvent use by up to 90%, the firm says.