IChO PAN autonomous AI robot discovers new chemical reactions

An autonomous robot powered by artificial intelligence, developed at the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IChO PAN), has discovered four previously unknown chemical reactions. The device independently conducted laboratory experiments and analyzed the results, significantly accelerating the research process.

The system was designed to optimize research in asymmetric organocatalysis, a field focused on producing chiral molecules using organic catalysts. Chiral compounds exist in two mirror-image forms called enantiomers, which can interact differently with the human body. This distinction is critical for the safe and effective design of new medicines.

By automating the process of checking enantioselective reaction results—a task that typically takes experienced chemists several hours per instance—the robot provides a major efficiency boost. The hardware utilizes a three-axis robot for liquid transfer, a specialized needle with a remote-controlled syringe pump, and 3D-printed reactors. The system can also regulate sample temperatures between -40°C and approximately 90°C. The research findings were published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’.