Using magnetic levitation to distinguish atomic-level differences in chemical composition of polymers, and to monitor chemical reactions on solid supports

This communication describes a density-based method that uses magnetic levitation for monitoring solid-supported reactions and for distinguishing differences in chemical composition of polymers. The method is simple, rapid, and inexpensive and is similar to thin-layer chromatography (TLC; for solution-phase chemistry) in its potential for monitoring reactions in solid-phase chemistry. The technique involves levitating a sample of beads (taken from a reaction mixture) in a cuvette containing a paramagnetic solution (e.g., GdCl ₃ dissolved in H ₂O) positioned between two NdFeB magnets. The vertical position at which the beads levitate corresponds to the density of the beads and correlates with the progress of a chemical reaction on a solid support. The method is particularly useful for monitoring the kinetics of reactions occurring on polymer beads.