Strem's Commitment to Supporting Research Innovation Through Lab Partnerships

Innovation and Collaboration: Strem Catalog's Commitment to Driving Research Breakthroughs Through Partnerships 

When Strem Chemicals was founded in 1964, R&D chemists were making major research breakthroughs in organometallic chemistry. One promising area involved cobalt carbonyl, a reagent with impressive catalytic properties. Cobalt carbonyl has significant applications in synthesizing organic acids and ketones. But in the mid-1960s, cobalt carbonyl was hard for researchers to find. 

Dr. Michael Strem, recognizing the potential for this exciting compound for many applications in industrial chemistry, began making and listing metal carbonyls and, thus, the Strem Catalog was born. 

Decades later, identifying and serving niche chemical research needs is still the heart of Strem Catalog’s business. Now part of Ascensus Specialties, the company continues Dr. Strem’s legacy of close collaboration with research chemists. These strong ties to researchers and innovators give Strem Catalog a deep understanding of where exciting progress is happening and the voids that need to be filled. This spirit of partnership and co-innovation is a key part of the mission of Ascensus Specialties and the Strem Catalog team. 

Consistent quality, no matter the quantity 

Research and development labs in academic, industrial, and government settings are fast-moving, with agility and flexibility paramount to success. At the outset of a project, researchers may want to test different variations of the same catalyst, each with a slightly different reaction, or find proof of concept on a small scale before investing in expanded testing. To begin, they may only need a few grams of any given material, only scaling up if their catalyst is promising. But if that larger order varies from the original, that could mean wasted time, funds, and potential. 

The Strem Catalog knows how important it is that these innovators have access to consistent, highly pure chemicals from day one. Whether research customers buy 10g or 5kg of gallium metal, they can always be sure the products have consistent quality. 

The Strem Catalog includes approximately 6,000 high-quality products, including catalysts, ligands, and CVD/ALD precursors essential for lab research. The team’s quality control measures touch every step of the process from raw material sourcing to glassware sterilization and cleaning, equipment maintenance, purification practices, and more. From end to end, customers can be sure the production methods prevent cross-contamination of chemicals through rigorous quality control checks. 

The benefits of direct collaboration

It’s difficult for researchers in academic, industrial, and government settings to anticipate future needs. That’s why the Strem Catalog team continuously collaborates with researchers to gain an understanding of which catalysts or ligands are showing promise. These relationships help Strem Catalog prepare to meet tomorrow’s demand. 

The catalog also includes nearly 100 kits that allow researchers the flexibility to experiment with different reactions with the same chemical. Take Strem Catalog’s iridium photocatalyst master kit, which includes 16 different iridium-based compounds. By giving researchers involved with photoredox catalysis, for example, an easy way to access both Tris[2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine]iridium(III) and Tris(2-phenylpyridinato-C2,N)iridium(III), this kit offers them room to try different complexes and compounds to find the best fit. If an experiment doesn’t have the desired reaction, they can quickly try another product without having to start from square one. 

The Strem Catalog team designs each kit with research chemists in mind and a real-time understanding of what catalysts, ligands, precursors, and nanomaterials may lead to research breakthroughs. 

Supporting innovation with speed 

Because R&D at academic, industrial, and government research laboratories is so fluid and fast-moving, researchers need to succeed or fail fast. Strem Catalog constantly evolves and adapts alongside them. 

The Strem Catalog supports research innovation in two important ways:  

1. Speed 

   Strem Catalog’s same-day shipping ensures researchers get the high-quality, gram-scale chemicals they need—fast and without disruption. Whether they’re continuing a project or pivoting mid-experiment, scientists can count on quick, reliable delivery to keep their research moving forward. 
   

2. Expertise  The Strem Catalog team is continuously researching and innovating with new chemicals, especially organometallic complexes. They are constantly adding to their inventory to meet emerging needs. For example, the team has added hundreds of metal precursors for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD)—which are driving significant innovations in semiconductor engineering. 

   
   

By constantly innovating with new complexes and fulfilling orders quickly, Strem Catalog helps ongoing research to continue, uninterrupted. 

Collaborating with Strem Catalog 

The Strem Catalog is known for its quality-first approach to research innovation. The catalog would not be the leader in supplying specialty chemicals without its close partnerships with R&D leaders. 

The Strem Catalog team collaborates with and learns from academic research laboratories, industrial R&D facilities, and government research laboratories. The team also has strong partnerships with commercial-scale businesses in the pharmaceutical, microelectronic, and chemical industries.  The Strem Catalog team’s most mutually valuable partnerships are with some of the world’s foremost innovators in chemistry: Syensqo, a leader in advanced materials and specialty chemicals; the Buchwald Research Group led by Stephen L. Buchwald at the MIT Department of Chemistry; and UbiQD, Inc., the New Mexico-based leader in quantum dot technology and manufacturing, to name a few. The team is always looking to expand those partnerships further to better meet the needs of old and new customers alike. 

If you’re a research chemist wanting to partner or suggest a new product, contact the Strem Catalog team.