Orthogonal flow chemistry microreactor for rapid screening

A method of performing chemical reaction screening steps, wherein the method comprises:

• providing a microfluidic device having a microreactor defined at an intersection of a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel is fenced, at the intersection, by two size-selective filters, these including a first filter and a second filter, respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the microreactor in the second channel;
• and
• sequentially performing chemical reaction screening steps according to distinct combinations of pairs of chemical compounds, each of the pairs involving a first chemical compound and a second chemical compound, wherein each step of the chemical reaction screening steps comprises:
• feeding beads into the microreactor through the first channel to confine the beads between the two size-selective filters, wherein the beads are functionalized with, or consist of, the first chemical compound of one of the pairs;
• and
• flowing a solution containing the second chemical compound of said one of the pairs along the second channel, upstream of the microreactor, for the second chemical compound to pass through the first filter and chemically interact with the first chemical compound in the microreactor, to yield a reaction product that is flushed through the second filter.