Patent ID: 8535947

Claim:
A method for real-time monitoring the deprotection reaction of a Fmoc protecting group in a peptide automated synthesizer to obtain feedback on reaction completion during said deprotection reaction, comprising the steps of: (a) within said automated synthesizer, which includes an ultraviolet (UV) source and UV sensor, periodically pushing a deprotection solution comprising dibenzofulvene and related adducts and byproducts from said reaction to the UV sensor in an area that is adapted to transmit UV light and irradiating it with UV light at a wavelength of about 301 nm; (b) detecting the absorption of said UV light and determining the rate at which the reaction is progressing by calculating a floating average of a specified number of previous readings; and (c) determining the reaction completion when the floating average does not change more than a preselected delta.