Unlocking the Potential of Chemputation: Achieving Universality in Chemical Synthesis
Chemputation refers to the automation of chemical synthesis by translating chemical pathways into executable instructions that run on a programmable device known as a “chemputer.” But can a chemputer, using a chemical programming language, potentially synthesize any molecule that is theoretically possible?
In a new paper published on arXiv, Prof. Cronin explores this idea by defining what it means for a chemputer to achieve an analogue of Turing completeness, demonstrating its universality in chemical synthesis. He also outlines the requirements for dynamic error correction during “chempilation” steps to ensure accurate and reliable synthesis. This universality highlights the chemputer’s potential as a ground-breaking tool for automating and scaling up chemical production, opening new possibilities across various scientific fields.