Enabling synthesis technologies such as flow chemistry are becoming commonplace in modern laboratories. As more groups start to use this technology, there is an increasing demand to expand the capabilities of laboratory apparatus, in particular for the seamless integration of different types of apparatus from different manufacturers so that they can be used simultaneously and synergistically. Although manufacturers generally provide appropriate control software for use with their particular device ecosystem, these frequently have a limited scope and do not always integrate well with other equipment. For commercial reasons, the control software is rarely provided in a format that can be readily extended by the user to implement control of additional hardware. 

Here we describe the use of a new open-source software package and a Raspberry Pi(®) computer for the simultaneous control of multiple flow chemistry devices and its application to a machine-assisted, multi-step flow preparation of pyrazine-2-carboxamide - a component of Rifater(®), used in the treatment of tuberculosis - and its reduced derivative piperazine-2-carboxamide.

The article is published online in Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry and is