MicroED Services|ReadCrystal-Your Exclusive Expert In Structure Determination-Structural Biology-X-Ray Crystallography-CryoEM-SPA-MicroED-Drug Discovery

MicroED Services

Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (MicroED) is a groundbreaking cryo-electronmicroscopy (cryo-EM) technique designed for the diffraction of nanocrystals---unlocking atomic-resolution structural data from minimal sample quantities.

Drug Molecules

Frame Materials

Battery Materials

Other Materials

Applications

Small Molecule

In the preclinical research phase of drug development, it's essential to confirm the structure of a compound. For microcrystalline particles whose structures cannot be resolved using single-crystal X-ray crystallography, MicroED technology is an excellent alternative. In the field of pharmaceutical small molecules, MicroED offers

Biologics: Ligands, Proteins, Nucleic acids, etc.
Chemicals: Natural Product, PROTAC, Powder API, etc.
Other microcrystalline molecules

New Materials

Cultivating large single crystals for advanced materials is challenging. However, MicroED technology offers a breakthrough by enabling the analysis of nanocrystal structures as small as 100 nm.MicroED is frequently used in material-related fields for analysis

Framework materials, such as MOFs, COFs, HOFs, Zeolites, etc.
Battery materials, such as LCO, etc.
Other microcrystalline materials

advantages

SCXRD

Micro-sized crystals

Required crystal size: >50μm

High sample consumption

Required samples: >200mg

High sample purity requirements

Testing must be conducted using pure-phase samples

Absolute configuration

Resolving the absolute configuration of chiral compounds through the principle of anomalous dispersion

MicroED

Nano-sized crystals

Resolution achievable with samples of crystals as small as 100nm; Applicable to nanocrystals/powder crystals/needle-shaped crystals

Low sample consumption

Minimal consumption of sample (as low as 2mg)

Low sample purity requirements

For mixed-phase samples, the independent structures of all pure phases are directly resolved

Absolute configuration

Confirming the absolute configuration of chiral compounds through dynamic refinement

Technical Workflow

Sample Preparation

Small-molecule drugs or new materials are purified and crystallized under optimized conditions (e.g., solvent, temperature). Nano-sized crystals are prepared on TEM grids. Crysto software automates sample screening, ensuring crystal quality. Samples are cryoprotected and loaded into a transmission electron microscope for electron diffraction experiments.

Data Collection

Crystals are exposed to an electron beam in a transmission electron microscope. Crysto automates diffraction pattern collection, rotating the crystal to capture high-resolution 3DED data. Low-dose electron exposure minimizes radiation damage. Diffraction images are recorded, indexed, and integrated for subsequent structural analysis.

Data Processing and Phasing

Diffraction data are processed using Analyza, which automates intensity extraction and phase determination. Phases are solved via direct methods or molecular replacement tailored for small molecules. Analyza generates an initial electron density map, revealing molecular arrangements for drugs or material structures.

Structure Determination and Refinement

Analyza builds an atomic model into the electron density map, refining molecular geometries for small-molecule drugs or materials. Iterative refinement optimizes bond lengths and angles. The final structure is validated, providing insights into molecular interactions or material properties for further development.

Case Studies