SFCprep-Analyzer

Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) has been established as the technique of choice for efficient purification of chiral compounds and is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. The advantages of SFC are its high resolution efficiency in combination with fast chromatographic separation.

Compared to preparative HPLC, SFC uses supercritical CO₂ as primary solvent of the mobile phase. CO₂ becomes gaseous when the pressure is reduced at the end of the separation so that the compound is then dissolved in only a small amount of the auxiliary solvent. As a result, the time required to remove the solvent during substance isolation is reduced. This is particularly advantageous for thermolabile compounds, which decompose rapidly under normal, prolonged drying conditions. However, due to the sudden expansion of CO₂, appropriate precautions have to be taken to prevent substance loss or contamination of the samples.

SIM, in collaboration with Agilent Technologies, has launched an SFC system that allows analytical separations to be used directly to isolate high-purity compounds: The Agilent 1260 Infinity III SFC analytical system is upgraded with an SIM SFC fraction collector and an isocratic pump, resulting in the SFCprep Analyzer. The entire analyzer is controlled by OpenLab software, which provides intuitive control for the extended functionality.

The integration of the SFC fraction collector into the Agilent 1260 Infinity III SFC system enables a seamless workflow from method development to semi-preparative isolation of target compounds, directly with the same analyzer.

The gas-liquid separator forms the core of the SIM fraction collector. Its patented design offers excellent recovery rates and prevents carryover of compounds, despite CO₂ expansion after separation. Analytical SFC purification is ideal for chiral molecules and complex mixtures and offers a wide range of applications (e.g. for flavorings, peptides, and the separation of enantiomers).

Using the advantages of SFC - short analysis times and gentle drying, the SFCprep Analyzer offers a fast and efficient way to isolate small amounts of compounds from complex mixtures. These can be used for further structure determination (e.g. NMR). The purification system is environmentally friendly and increases productivity by reducing solvent consumption and ensuring fast evaporation of the residual solvent.

In addition to our standard analyzer, the SFCprep Analyzer can also be customized to individual requirements (e.g. by selecting different detectors). You receive a ready-to-analyze system that undergoes a factory acceptance test (FAT) at SIM before delivery. Immediately after installation, you will have a fully functional system for the analytical separation and isolation of small quantities of compounds.