Micro-ED Structural Analysis for Small-Molecule Compounds

        Micro-ED structural analysis leverages microcrystal electron diffraction collected via cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to resolve three-dimensional crystal structures.
        By substituting high-energy electrons for traditional X-ray sources, Micro-ED improves throughput approximately tenfold and doubles the success rate. Consequently, micro- to nanoscale crystals (>0.1 μm) are sufficient to obtain high-resolution diffraction data, greatly relaxing requirements on sample morphology, purity, and size.
        Conventional crystallography depends on X-ray diffraction and large crystals because X-rays interact weakly with matter. Micro-ED takes advantage of the much stronger electron–matter interaction, so nanocrystals already generate robust signals. This reduces the characterization barrier by roughly two orders of magnitude and accelerates structural confirmation timelines.
        We have conducted Micro-ED analyses for more than 150 small molecules, establishing proprietary workflows for cryogenic sample preparation, TEM acquisition, and data reduction. We welcome collaboration with teams advancing natural product and small-molecule research.