Synthesis of reference chemicals
The knowledge gained for years in the field of the organic synthesis of compounds related to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
coupled with our chemistry infrastructures and especially our High-Tox Laboratory, allow us to offer synthesis of all compounds relating to the highly toxic chemicals in laboratory-scale amount whilst observing the appropriate safety measures. We develop procedures to synthesise the chemical warfare agents themselves and all the related CWC-compounds, as well as the associated products such as their precursors, degradation products and by-products.
As SPIEZ LABORATORY is a laboratory which is designated by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW);
(Analytical Chemistry ) we should be ready to supply reference chemicals as soon as possible, either from our stocked compounds or by synthesizing the products. For this reason,
it is important for us to develop and to have up-to-date safely working procedures which allow us to quickly prepare the desired compounds in laboratory-scale amounts with very high purities. Indeed, each synthesis pathway is developed in order to get the target chemicals in the purest form. For this purpose, state-of-the-art work-up and purification equipments, such as the all-glass short path distillation system, Fischer SPALTROHR-column
and FlashMaster liquid chromatograph, are available in our laboratories. Our goal is to prepare many various compounds in small quantities and with the highest purities, so that they can be offered as reference substances. This is not only to secure SPIEZ LABORATORY's status as a designated laboratory of the OPCW, but also to serve the different groups of SPIEZ LABORATORY,
as well as other institutes and organisations in Switzerland and abroad ( Supply of reference chemicals ).
Two gas chromatograph/mass spectrometers (GC/MS) are available in our group to test the reactions and the obtained purities. Furthermore, all our compounds are unambiguously characterized by the accredited Analytical Chemistry branch using the most recent and modern equipments such as GC/MS, liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometers (LC/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (NMR). Finally, all synthesized chemicals are entered in a database containing information about, for example, the quantities initially prepared
and still available, the purity, the batch number, the Schedule number with regard to the CWC, the storage location, and the synthesis date. By doing this, our chemicals can be sourced quickly.
Safety precautions
The synthesis procedures are worked out safely in our hands but as the reaction products could be lethal or exceedingly toxic, appropriate precaution is recommended for their handling. For this purpose, the High-Tox Laboratory was especially designed for the preparation of the most toxic compounds in the correct safe conditions.
|
We provide reference chemicals for:
|
