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SPPS Synthesis Reactor — Technical Specification

Official Equipment Specification

This document provides the technical specification for solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) reactors operated at SENO Biotechnology. For product inquiries and custom synthesis services, visit the SENO Biotechnology Official Website.

1. General Description

The SPPS synthesis reactors are designed for automated Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis using the Merrifield methodology. Four reactor configurations accommodate batch sizes from research-scale development (0.5 L) to production-scale manufacturing (20 L). All reactors feature programmable logic control (PLC) with touchscreen HMI for precise cycle management.

2. Technical Parameters

Parameter Reactor 0.5L Reactor 2L Reactor 5L Reactor 20L
Working Volume 0.3 – 0.5 L 1.2 – 2.0 L 3.0 – 5.0 L 12.0 – 20.0 L
Resin Capacity 5 – 15 g 20 – 60 g 50 – 150 g 200 – 600 g
Vessel Material Borosilicate Glass 3.3 Borosilicate Glass 3.3 316L Stainless Steel 316L Stainless Steel
Surface Finish N/A (glass) N/A (glass) Ra ≤0.5 µm Ra ≤0.5 µm
Temperature Range 0 – 80 °C 0 – 80 °C 0 – 80 °C 0 – 80 °C
Temperature Accuracy ±0.5 °C ±0.5 °C ±0.5 °C ±0.5 °C
Temperature Sensor PT100 RTD PT100 RTD PT100 RTD PT100 RTD
Mixing Mechanism N₂ Bubbling + Magnetic Stirring N₂ Bubbling + Magnetic Stirring N₂ Bubbling + Mechanical Stirring N₂ Bubbling + Mechanical Stirring
Maximum Operating Pressure 1.5 bar 1.5 bar 2.0 bar 2.0 bar
Inert Gas Supply N₂ (99.999%) N₂ (99.999%) N₂ (99.999%) N₂ (99.999%)
Heating/Cooling Circulating bath Circulating bath Jacketed + Circulator Jacketed + Circulator
Reactor Dimensions (H × ID) 250 × 80 mm 350 × 120 mm 400 × 160 mm 500 × 250 mm

3. Construction Materials

Component Material Standard Chemical Resistance
Vessel (0.5–2 L) Borosilicate glass 3.3 DIN/ISO 3585 All organic solvents, TFA, piperidine
Vessel (5–20 L) 316L Stainless Steel ASTM A240 All organic solvents, dilute acids
Seals and Gaskets PTFE / FFKM (Kalrez) — Universal chemical resistance
Tubing (Reagent) PTFE / PFA 1/8" – 1/4" OD All SPPS reagents and solvents
Tubing (Inert Gas) PTFE 1/4" OD N₂ compatible
Frit (Resin Support) Sintered PTFE 20 – 40 µm porosity All solvents, TFA resistant
Valves PTFE diaphragm — Leak-free, chemically inert

4. Control System Specifications

Feature Specification
Control Platform PLC-based (Siemens or Mitsubishi)
User Interface Color touchscreen HMI, 7" – 10"
Protocol Storage Up to 100 synthesis protocols
Data Logging Temperature, pressure, time, cycle count (CSV export)
Alarm System Audible + visual alerts for temperature/pressure deviations
Communication RS-485 (optional Ethernet for SCADA integration)
Power Requirements 220–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 500–1500 VA depending on scale
Emergency Stop Hardwired E-stop on control panel

5. Synthesis Cycle Parameter Table

Step Reagent Volume (mL/g resin) Time Temperature Repetitions
Resin Swelling DMF or DCM 10 30 – 60 min 25 °C 1
Fmoc Deprotection 1 20% Piperidine in DMF 10 5 min 25 °C 1
Fmoc Deprotection 2 20% Piperidine in DMF 10 10 min 25 °C 1
Washing DMF 10 3 – 5 min 25 °C 5×
Amino Acid Coupling Fmoc-AA-OH (3–5 eq.) + Coupling Reagent (3–5 eq.) + Base (6–10 eq.) in DMF 5 30 – 60 min 25 – 40 °C 1 (repeat if Kaiser positive)
Washing DMF 10 3 – 5 min 25 °C 5×
Capping Acetic Anhydride (10 eq.) / DIPEA (10 eq.) in DMF 5 10 – 15 min 25 °C 1
Washing DCM 10 3 – 5 min 25 °C 3×

6. Coupling Reagent Comparison

Reagent Activation Mechanism Coupling Time Racemization Risk Relative Cost Best For
HBTU Benzotriazole ester (in situ) 30 – 60 min Low Moderate Standard couplings
HATU HOAt ester (in situ) 15 – 30 min Very low Higher Difficult sequences, hindered AAs
DIC + Oxyma Pure Symmetric anhydride (in situ) 30 – 60 min Lowest Moderate His, Cys, low epimerization

7. Cleaning Protocol Parameters

Step Solvent Volume Time Temperature
Rinse 1 DMF 200–1000 mL 10 min 25 °C
Rinse 2 DCM 200–1000 mL 10 min 25 °C
Rinse 3 Methanol (HPLC grade) 200–1000 mL 10 min 25 °C
Rinse 4 Deionized water (18.2 MΩ·cm) 200–1000 mL 10 min 25 °C
Final Rinse Acetone (HPLC grade) 200–500 mL 5 min 25 °C

8. Maintenance and Calibration Schedule

Frequency Activity Method Acceptance Criteria
After each batch Frit cleaning, vessel rinse, seal visual inspection Visual + back-flush No visible residue, no leaks
Weekly Tubing integrity check Pressure hold test (1.0 bar, 5 min) Pressure drop <0.1 bar
Monthly Temperature sensor calibration Compare PT100 against certified reference thermometer ±0.5 °C at 25 °C and 60 °C
Monthly N₂ flow rate verification Bubble flow meter ±10% of setpoint
Quarterly Full gasket/seal replacement — —
Quarterly Pressure relief valve test Manual actuation Opens at rated pressure ±5%
Annually Complete system overhaul Full sensor recertification All sensors within specification

9. Safety Systems

  • Over-temperature automatic shutdown with audible alarm
  • Pressure relief valve (calibrated and certified annually)
  • N₂ purge for oxygen displacement before operation
  • Emergency stop button (hardwired, cuts all power)
  • Chemical spill containment tray
  • Fume extraction port for hazardous vapors
  • Grounding strap for static discharge prevention