Augmenting large language models with chemistry tools

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) have shown strong performance in tasks across domains but struggle with chemistry-related problems. These models also lack access to external knowledge sources, limiting their usefulness in scientific applications. We introduce ChemCrow, an LLM chemistry agent designed to accomplish tasks across organic synthesis, drug discovery and materials design. By integrating 18 expert-designed tools and using GPT-4 as the LLM, ChemCrow augments the LLM performance in chemistry, and new capabilities emerge. Our agent autonomously planned and executed the syntheses of an insect repellent and three organocatalysts and guided the discovery of a novel chromophore. Our evaluation, including both LLM and expert assessments, demonstrates ChemCrow’s effectiveness in automating a diverse set of chemical tasks. Our work not only aids expert chemists and lowers barriers for non-experts but also fosters scientific advancement by bridging the gap between experimental and computational chemistry. Large language models can be queried to perform chain-of-thought reasoning on text descriptions of data or computational tools, which can enable flexible and autonomous workflows. Bran et al. developed ChemCrow, a GPT-4-based agent that has access to computational chemistry tools and a robotic chemistry platform, which can autonomously solve tasks for designing or synthesizing chemicals such as drugs or materials.