FluoRok: the future of fluorination
29th March 2023
FluoRok is revolutionising the production of fluorochemicals with their HF-free fluorination processes that are safer, more efficient, and environmentally conscious. Led by Moissan-prize winner Professor Véronique Gouverneur FRS and CEO Dr Gabriele Pupo, the team is building on over two decades of research to provide a solution to the challenges of the current production process.
Fluorinated compounds are widely used in our daily life and its applications range from electronics, textiles, aluminium production and petroleum refining to agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. That last one might surprise you – adding one or more fluorine to a molecule can affect, among many other properties, the stability of a drug and thereby modulate its properties such as absorption and metabolism (e.g. how quickly the drug is broken down).
Fluorinated compounds comprise a significant proportion of all chemicals produced today, with an estimated 20% of all marketed drugs and approx. 30% of agrochemicals. Fluorochemicals are currently produced via an energy-intensive process which involves the production and transport of hydrogen fluoride (HF) as a key intermediate. This gas is made by adding sulphuric acid to the naturally occurring mineral, fluorite (fluorspar), at temperatures of 300-400 degrees Celsius. HF comes with challenges – it’s highly corrosive, extremely toxic, dangerous and environmentally unfriendly – but with lightly fluorinated compounds here to stay, what can we do?
A team of scientists led by Moissan-prize winner Professor Véronique Gouverneur FRS together with Dr Gabriele Pupo, both originating from the Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, is working to deliver rapid solutions to this problem.
“We’ve been building on more than twenty years of research and expertise in fluorination chemistry from the Gouverneur labs to find solutions towards HF-free fluorinations. This has evolved quickly in the last couple of years thanks to having the right people and the right knowledge in the right place and time, plus a pinch of luck,” said Gabriele Pupo, “This combination has enabled us to progress rapidly, much faster than originally anticipated.”
Gabriele Pupo and Véronique Gouverneur
Gabriele Pupo is now CEO of FluoRok, with Prof. Véronique Gouverneur a co-founder and consultant for the company. Created in 2022 with the support of Oxford Science Enterprises and Oxford University Innovation (OUI), FluoRok is a spin-out of the University of Oxford. The company’s mission? Revolutionise the way fluorochemicals are produced worldwide. Based at Begbroke Science Park, Oxford, the team is developing HF-free fluorination processes that are safer, environmentally conscious, require less energy, are less expensive, more efficient, and sustainable.
“You’ve got to have the big picture and broad vision. Think big and work hard on solutions with the potential to disrupt an entire sector,” said Gabriele Pupo.
Find out more at www.fluorok.com
If you’re interested in commercialising your research – find out more from Oxford University Innovation.
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