Argus Chemicals

Argus Chemicals is a fine chemicals company that was established in 1985 by Dr Enrico Ammannati. The mission statement is centred on R&D activity and scale up processes plus valuable pilot plant productions.

Originally, and on a lab-scale basis, the company began to produce rare and unobtainable compounds not generally found in commercial catalogues. Through the years the company expanded its capabilities up to pilot-plant scale to be able to satisfy the demand for kilo batches of products involving air-sensitive reagents.

Organophosphorous compounds, fine chemicals for APIs, polymerisation reactions and polymer production

We have no restrictions when it comes to the fields of chemistry involved in our work. Proof of this is our online catalogue, where there is a broad variety of product categories and expertise, including organophosphorous compounds, precious metals catalysts, fine chemicals for APIs, polymerisation reactions and the production of polymers for coating, on a pilot-plant scale and in weights of hundreds of kilograms.

Phosphorus-based ligands for building metal catalysts

Argus began as a producer of phosphorus-based ligands for building metal catalysts. Now it also offers a broad service of R&D under secrecy agreements for pharmaceutical firms.

Argus Chemicals has expertise in areas including organophosphorous compounds, precious metals catalysts, fine chemicals for APIs, polymerisation reactions and the production of polymers for coating.

Argus Chemicals originally produced phosphorus-based ligands for building metal catalysts; in addition, it now offers an R&D service.

Argus Chemicals has a long experience concerning the scale up of multi-step syntheses on pilot plants.

Argus Chemicals is also a research laboratory that specialises in chemical process development, custom synthesis and analytical method development both on lab and pilot-plant scale.

The R&D and production departments are fully integrated, offering Ab initio synthesis and scale-up (grams to kilos). Argus has developed a long experience concerning the scale up of multi-step syntheses on pilot plants. Argus’ facilities include glass reactors, autoclaves and the most up-to-date analytical tools.

Synthesis of fine organic chemicals, intermediates and APIs

We offer:

• Synthesis of fine organic chemicals, intermediates and APIs
• Development of analytical methods
• Process optimisation
• Identification of impurities and metabolites
• Isolation of impurities and metabolites
• Multi-step synthesis
• Chiral synthesis
• Low-temperature reactions
• Air-sensitive reactions

Chemical process development, custom synthesis and analytical method development

Argus Chemicals not only has a large variety of chemicals available through its catalogue; but also a research laboratory that specialises in chemical process development, custom synthesis and analytical method development both on lab and pilot-plant scale.

In-house quality control:

• GC (fid detector)
• HPLC, GPC (UV detector and RID detector)
• Karl Fisher
• Polarimeter

ICCOM-CNR in Florence – analytical partner:

• NMR analysis – H1, C13, P31, 2D-NMR (COSY, HETCOR, NOESY and HSQC)
• GC-MS (ESI)
• X-ray diffractometry

Facilities for fine chemicals manufacture

Argus Chemicals’ facilities include a 1,800l glass pilot plant, with a maximum volume in a single reactor of 230l. We have the ability to provide reflux, distillation and vacuum distillation up to 3mm Hg, filters, centrifuges, vacuum driers and 100l rotavapor.

Analytical equipment and expertise includes two GCs, two HPLCs with autosamplers, UV and RID, expertise in determination of polymerisation degree and related parameters, IR and Karl Fisher. With the local Florence CNR we have access to GCMass and NMR analysis, which are essential for routine work.