SFC chromatograph UFPLC

ionHPLCpreparative liquid

Overview
The Nexera UFPLC (Ultra Fast Preparative and Purification Liquid Chromatograph) integrates fractionation, enrichment, purification and recovery in a single online workflow to obtain target compounds at high concentration and purity. It uses a trap enrichment purification approach and supports recovery into volatile organic solvents or as high-purity free bases to simplify downstream processing and analysis.

System variants

• Nexera UFPLC Standard System: basic UFPLC configuration. Automated preparative purification for single-target samples.
• Nexera UFPLC Advanced System: fully automated system for simultaneous purification of multiple compounds (main target, residual substances and impurities) — up to five compounds.

Key process advantages
The UFPLC performs fractionation through purification and recovery online, reducing manual handling, sample loss and workflow complexity compared with offline enrichment and desalting. Use of highly volatile solvents shortens drying times. Optimised flows and trap enrichment enable removal of counter ions and low-volatility mobile-phase additives (e.g. TFA) or recovery of ionic targets as free bases, facilitating structural analysis and powder preparation.

Software and operation
The dedicated Purification Solution™ software provides configuration from preparative condition setup to recovery. Features include peak-tracking, fractionation simulation, multi-detector theoretical signal calculations and saved timings for reinjection/concentration workflows to streamline repetitive preparative operations.

Fractionation modes

• Automatic Fractionation Mode: software identifies peaks and collects fractions based on parameters; supports advance simulation and multi-detector signal calculations.
• Manual Fractionation Mode: interactive peak selection with mouse pointer; supports automatic repetition of fraction timing for multiple injections when concentrating by reinjection.
• Time-Specified Fractionation Mode: collects fractions by retention time from prior data; suitable for routine preparative purification.

Applications and workflow benefits
The UFPLC is designed for preparative purification workflows such as drug discovery and impurity/metabolite structural analysis where rapid recovery of high-purity material is required. The integrated online workflow reduces sample handling and enables structural analysis without extensive offline pretreatment by removing interfering mobile-phase components and counter ions before analysis.

Other notes
Case studies and user interviews (for example with Syngenta) demonstrate practical benefits. The UFPLC concept complements Shimadzu's preparative HPLC and preparative SFC product family and integrates with related components and software.

Technical specifications

• Product family / model: Nexera UFPLC
• Integrated online workflow: fractionation → enrichment → purification → recovery
• Trap enrichment purification technology for high-concentration, high-purity recovery
• Capability to eliminate counter ions and low-volatility mobile phase components (e.g. TFA); recovery of ionic compounds as free base
• Use of highly volatile organic solvents for rapid evaporation and reduced drying time
• Dedicated Purification Solution™ software with peak tracking, simulation and parameter optimisation
• Fractionation modes: Automatic, Manual, Time-Specified
• System variants: Standard (single-target automated purification) and Advanced (multi-compound automated purification, up to five compounds)
• Supports reinjection/concentration workflows and multi-detector theoretical signal calculations