Patent ID: 7214913

Claim:
A controlled-flow microwave instrument for chemical synthesis that includes heterogeneous or highly viscous materials, said instrument comprising a microwave source for generating electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequencies; a microwave cavity in wave communication with said source for exposing compositions placed therein to microwave radiation; an infrared temperature detector associated with said cavity for measuring the temperature of items in said cavity; means for adjusting microwave power applied from said source to said cavity; a microwave-transparent pressure resistant reaction vessel in said cavity; means for cooling said vessel in said cavity; a source reservoir for starting materials and related compositions for the chemical synthesis reaction; a two-way pump for adding materials to and pumping materials from said reaction vessel; a multi-port valve between said source reservoir and said pump for controlling the flow of materials to and from said reaction vessel; a second source reservoir for starting materials in fluid communication with said multi-port valve for providing said reaction vessel with a second set of staffing materials; a product reservoir in fluid communication with said multi-port valve for collecting reaction products from said reaction vessel; and a processor in operative communication with said two-way pump and said multi-port valve for directing the flow of materials to and from said multi-port valve, said two way pump, and said reaction vessel.