A Stand-Alone Monitoring System for Reliable Unattended Operation of a Commercial Preparative LC/MS Purification System

Commercially available preparative liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer (LC/MS) systems are commonly used in drug discovery research to purify large numbers of compounds made by parallel synthesis techniques. The systems in our lab are comprised of individual instruments that communicate continuously with control software in order to collect specific compounds based on mass triggering. Over time, communication errors may cause improper system operation, and excessive pressure during injection may cause system damage or a leak. The risks of sample loss and safety hazards precluded unattended overnight operation of the purification systems. A stand-alone monitoring system was developed to ensure proper purification system operation. Custom sensors and software are used to identify failures and remotely control power to the purification system. In response to a failure, the monitoring system will either shut down the purification system or, if possible, selectively reboot an instrument to allow continued operation. With the creation of the monitoring system, the purification system can be run unattended with