US Patent 7816151 - Nanoporous membrane for enhanced reaction kinetics

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816151.html

The identification of new medicine often requires carrying out numerous chemical reactions which can be time consuming. In order to reduce reaction times this patent from Syngenta Participations AG teaches using a polymer treated nanoporous membrane to speed up such reactions. Claim 1 reads: 

1. A method comprising:

contacting a first component and a second component and a nanoporous structure comprising pores distinct from the first and second components, wherein the first and second components are contacted within the pores;

producing a product from a reaction of the first component with the second component; and

measuring a kinetic characteristic of the reaction.