Sigma-Aldrich Expands Capacity Air-Sensitive Organometallics
"Our array of glass-lined, stainless steel and Hastelloy vessels will give us the flexibility to perform a wide variety of reactions," says plant manager John Daniels.
The production bays in the 44,000 sq ft facility contain:
- 500-gal and 2000-gal stainless steel reactors capable of operating at temperatures between -25° C and 180° C.
- 2000-gal and 4000-gal glass-lined reactors capable of operating at -25° C to 180° C.
- 1000-gal Hastelloy reactor capable of operating at -25° C to 180° C.
- 100-gal, 300-gal, and 500-gal Hastelloy reactors capable of operating at -110° C to 100° C.
"Our strengths are in manufacturing complex boron reagents for asymmetric reduction, novel arylboronic acids, a wide range of organometallic compounds -- lithium, aluminum, silane and tin, and Grignards," says Sigma-Aldrich VP production Ed Austin.
The facility, he continues, can produce products with purity levels of up to 99.999% for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes used in semiconductor manufacture. The company's staff has years of experience safely handling air-sensitive materials, and can provide process development as needed. "It's our goal to partner with pharmaceutical and industrial customers to keep their product timelines on track," says Austin.
Sigma-Aldrich Fine Chemicals, a division of Sigma-Aldrich Corp., provides raw materials, process development, scale-up and complex, multistep custom synthesis services to pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and industrial users. The division operates 16 manufacturing sites around the world, including cGMP plants in St. Louis, MO; Sheboygan Falls, WI; Gillingham, UK; and Buchs, Switzerland.
For more information: Robert Schmitt, Market Segment Manager, Sigma-Aldrich Fine Chemicals, 3050 Spruce St., St. Louis, MO 63103. Tel: 800-336-9719 or 314-771-5765. Fax: 314-771-5757.