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December 3, 2012
Fluorous Technologies Is No More
Posted by Derek
Word comes that Fluorous is shutting down. The company had been trying for several years to make a go of it with its polyfluorinated materials, used for purification and reaction partitioning, but the commercial side of the business has apparently been struggling for a while. It's a tough market, and there hasn't, as far as I know, been what the software people would call a "killer app" for fluorous techniques - they're interested, often useful, but it's been hard to persuade enough people to take a crack at them.
The company is still taking orders for its remaining stock, and the link above will allow you to download their database of literature references for fluorous techniques, among other things. I wish the people involved the best, and I wish that things had worked out better.
Comments (7)
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1. RB Woodweird on December 3, 2012 10:59 AM writes...
Is there more to the story? We all know of tiny companies which manage to survive selling specialized reagents/equipment. Why could this one not find the proper size it needs to be to operate in the black? Why break it all up?
Permalink to Comment2. Leedschemist on December 3, 2012 11:36 AM writes...
Sad times, used their stuff a lot during my PhD. F-SPE worked really nicely for me and many others in our group.
Permalink to Comment3. David Formerly Known as a Chemist on December 3, 2012 3:51 PM writes...
I never personally knew anyone that used this technology. It looked interested back when it was introduced, somewhat at the tail-end of the combichem era, and maybe would have blossomed had combichem not fallen out of favor. By the time fluorous technology was commercialized companies had already invested in mass-triggered HPLC fractionation and other purification techniques. It's too bad but frankly I'm surprised they survived as long as they did, the market was just too niche.
Permalink to Comment4. Nick K on December 3, 2012 8:47 PM writes...
This is rotten news. FTI had a really interesting technology and deserved a better fate than this.
Permalink to Comment5. curryworks on December 4, 2012 7:41 AM writes...
They were essentially making money but not growing.
Permalink to Comment6. The Heterocyclist on December 5, 2012 12:59 PM writes...
When I was at Berry & Associates (a small nucleic acids chemistry company) we developed phosphoramidites for introducing fluorous tags into oligonucleotides for purification or permanent fluorous tagging. The technology worked very well and it was great working with the people at FTI. The reagents were steady sellers (and as far as I know, still are), but no killer app arose, at least during my time there. I'm sad to see them go.
Permalink to Comment7. Jimmy Lee on February 26, 2013 9:36 PM writes...
Hi, there, there is any person still in Fluorous Technologies (Tracey Zimmerman [t.zimmerman@fluorous.com])
Because just few months ago, I contacted with Tracey and she told me that she is not in that company any more , asking I contact with Patti Peiffer at p.peiffer@fluorous.com or 412-826-3050.
But it seems Peiffer not available ..
I want to buy 160grams of 3-(Perfluorooctyl)propyl iodide ; CAS#200112-75-0 ; Your Cat# F017002 , this is a rush order
I knew few months ago, they still had it more than 100grams stock , Derek said in here they are still trying to sell remain of chemicals , how can I contact with any person in this company, anybody can help me on this case !
Permalink to CommentThanks