AI robot tests, predicts and even discovers reactions that are new to chemistry
Robotic chemist finds four unknown reactions and could speed up the discovery of new chemistry
Researchers have designed, built and programmed a chemical-handling robot that can screen and predict chemical reactivity using machine learning. Based on the autonomous system’s predictions, the team found four novel reactions, demonstrating its potential to discover reactions quickly.
Countless chemical reactions are known and many different pathways can lead to a desired molecule. To find the best pathways, discovering new chemical reactivity is crucial to make the processes that produce chemicals, pharmaceuticals and materials more sustainable, environmentally-friendly and efficient. However, discovering new reactions is usually an unpredictable and time-consuming process that’s constrained by a top-down approach involving expert knowledge to target a particular molecule.