Azide-alkyne Click Chemistry Research Articles

Surface modification for site-directed covalent attachment of molecules via strain-promoted azide-alkyne click-chemistry reaction and photolithography

Copper-free “click” chemistry on appropriately modified surfaces and photolithography were explored for site-directed immobilization of biomolecules. The surfaces were modified either with self-assembled monolayers of silanes or an epoxy resin and then used as they were or further modified through adsorption of rabbit gamma-globulins to increase their reactive amine-content. All surfaces were then reacted with a succinimidyl ester cyclooctyne derivative and the efficiency of each modification approach was determined through click reaction with an azide derivative of fluorescein. It was found that the highest fluorescence signal was provided by the surface that had been modified with the epoxy resin and then coated with rabbit gamma-globulins. Surfaces prepared following the different modification procedures have been analyzed with ToF-SIMS to gain insight into the chemical changes of the surfaces after each step of the modification procedure. Analysis of intensities of characteristic ions signals confirmed the successful outcome of click reaction following the proposed surface modification approach. In addition, the ability to define through photolithography areas for site-directed immobilization of biomolecules onto surfaces modified with the succinimidyl ester cyclooctyne derivative was demonstrated through the creation of two molecules patterns.

Immobilization of a cellulose carbamate-type chiral selector onto silica gel by alkyne-azide click chemistry for the preparation of chiral stationary chromatography phases

A new synthesis strategy for the preparation of cellulose derivative-based chiral selectors and the subsequent mild immobilization onto pre-functionalized silica gel are introduced, utilizing Cu(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide Huisgen cycloaddition (“click”) chemistry. A cellulose 3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate derivative carrying propynyl carbamate groups was prepared by a combination of carbonate aminolysis and isocyanate chemistry. For immobilization, 3-azidopropyl-functionalized silica gel as an inert carrier was used, synthesized via a 3-chloropropyl intermediate. The chiral selector, as well as the inorganic/organic hybrid materials (silica gel/chiral selector), were comprehensively characterized by ATR-FTIR, solid-state 13C and 29Si NMR, liquid-state NMR, GPC, TGA, and elemental analysis. The enantioseparation performance of the immobilized-type chiral stationary phase was evaluated by HPLC with a set of representative chiral test analytes and different eluents and compared to a respective coated-type (=non-covalently bound) chiral stationary phase carrying the same selector quality and quantity on the same silica gel matrix. The immobilization did not adversely affect the chiral separation performance; on the contrary, in some chromatographic separations the immobilized-type chiral stationary phase surprisingly even surpassed the coated reference material.Graphical abstract

Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Triphilic Main-Chain-Type Semifluorinated Alternating Graft Copolymers in Aqueous Solution.

Fluorinated copolymers can self-assemble in solution and form micelles with rare properties due to the peculiar behavior of fluorinated groups. However, the process description of the self-assembly is still largely phenomenological and difficult to explain due to the tendency of the fluorinated segments to segregate from both the hydrophilic and lipophilic segments, which can result in various morphologies. Herein, the controlled formation of ellipsoidal micelles, disklike micelles, and sheets by hierarchical self-assembly of triphilic main-chain-type semifluorinated alternating graft copolymers (AB)n A-g-mOEG is presented (where A represents unit of α,ω-diiodoperfluoroalkane, B represents the unit of α,ω-unconjugated diene, and mOEG represents methoxy oligo(ethylene glycol)), which are synthesized by step transfer-addition and radical-termination (START) polymerization and azide-alkyne click chemistry. Furthermore, the possible self-assembly mechanism of these micron-level aggregates is proposed, which is ascribed to the hierarchical self-assembly, crowding effect of hydrophilic chains and the interfacial tension between the fluoroalkane and alkane segments. This study can provide a facile and highly efficient approach to the synthesis of main-chain-type fluorinated graft copolymers and expand the research field for the solution self-assembly of fluorinated copolymers.

Discovery of Insulin/GLP-1/Glucagon Triagonists for the Treatment of Diabetes and Obesity.

The combination of insulin and incretin-based therapies has emerged as a potential promising tactic for the treatment of diabetes. Here we report the first example of a unimolecular triagonist to simultaneously target insulin, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors, aiming for better glycemic control and superior weight loss. The strategy for constructing such a unimolecular triagonist is the conjugation of the insulin moiety and GLP-1R/GCGR coagonist peptide via alkyne-azide click chemistry. Two tractable series differentiated by insulin conjugation sites, B1F and B29K, were identified. Triagonist 13 prepared through the conjugation at insulin B1F and position 24 of GLP-1R/GCGR coagonist exhibited insulin activity comparable to that of insulin degludec and potent and balanced GLP-1R and GCGR activities. Pharmacokinetic profiles of 13 in both rat and minipig were also discussed.

Three in one: Rational engineering of multifunctional MIL-101-based ionic catalysts for carbon dioxide-epoxide cycloaddition

CO2-epoxide cycloaddition represents one of most attractive approaches for chemical fixation and utilization of CO2, but highly efficient and fully heterogeneous green catalysis is still challenging. Ionic metal-organic frameworks (IMOFs) are nice porous matrices heterogenizing the essential free nucleophilic anions and meanwhile providing Lewis acids, but the catalytic efficiency has been limited for low anion content and lack of auxiliary catalytic sites. In this work, we report stepwise optimization of IMOF catalysts by integrating multiple catalytic sites into MIL-101. Various monocationic IMOFs with quaternary ammonium and bromide anions were prepared by facile alkyne-azide click chemistry. Different numbers of hydroxyl groups were introduced in this ionization step to optimize the activity. To introduce more anions, dicationic IMOFs were created by a second ionization step, N-quaternization of triazolyl to triazolium. By the stepwise ionization and functionalization, we demonstrated the synergic catalytic effects among different sites, the impacts of hydroxyl/bromide content, and the size effect of the cationic group. The optimal IMOFs are superior to previous ionic heterogeneous catalysts in absence of cocatalysts. In particular, the dicationic catalyst can quantitatively convert epichlorohydrin to the carbonate within 1 h at 1 MPa CO2 and 80 °C, the apparent turnover frequency being up to 478 h−1. The highly active and selective, fully heterogeneous and recyclable catalyst has the appeal for practical applications.

Efficient Labeling of Nanocellulose for High-Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy Applications.

The visualization of naturally derived cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and nanocrystals (CNCs) within nanocomposite materials is key to the development of packaging materials, tissue culture scaffolds, and emulsifying agents, among many other applications. In this work, we develop a versatile and efficient two-step approach based on triazine and azide-alkyne click-chemistry to fluorescently label nanocelluloses with a variety of commercially available dyes. We show that this method can be used to label bacterial cellulose fibrils, plant-derived CNFs, carboxymethylated CNFs, and CNCs with Cy5 and fluorescein derivatives to high degrees of labeling using minimal amounts of dye while preserving their native morphology and crystalline structure. The ability to tune the labeling density with this method allowed us to prepare optimized samples that were used to visualize nanostructural features of cellulose through super-resolution microscopy. The efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and versatility of this method make it ideal for labeling nanocelluloses and imaging them through advanced microscopy techniques for a broad range of applications.

Cyclophane-based two-dimensional polymer formed by an interfacial click reaction

Two-dimensional polymers (2DPs) that incorporate molecular hosts offer a distinctive combination of properties, including covalent connectivity, structural regularity, chemical stability, permanent porosity, and molecular recognition. These features make these topologically planar macromolecular sheets promising in relation to applications, including those that appear in sensors, organic electronics, and nanofiltration membranes. Here, we use copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne click chemistry to construct a cyclophane-based 2DP at a liquid-liquid interface by polymerizing a bisazide-functionalized tetracationic cyclophane monomer with a 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene node. The 2DP prepared by employing this strategy is observed to be crystalline porous sheets by a combination of synchrotron X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and nitrogen porosimetry. When employed as the active layer in nanofiltration membranes, this 2DP exhibits excellent rejection performance of a dye, Brilliant Blue G, with 99% of the dye being removed after each cycle. Our findings could lead to the broad application of interfacial click polymerizations to produce 2DPs.

An unusual zig-zag 2D copper(I) coordination polymer as an outstanding catalyst for azide-alkyne "click" chemistry at room temperature.

A straightforward method for the synthesis of a two-dimensional (2D) new copper(I) coordination polymer, namely Cu(bzpdc), containing the ligand benzophenone 4,4'-dicarboxylate, and its effective use as catalyst for the azide-alkyne click chemistry at room temperature is reported. Zig-zag formation caused by cuprophilic interactions resulted in an unprecedented crystal structure with a very high copper content (45.5% by weight). The catalyst was stable up until 300 °C and tolerant to various solvents, including water. Cu(bzpdc) showed excellent catalytic activity for click reactions of several organic azides and alkynes having different functional groups at room temperature and is comparable to its homogenous analogues. The recyclability of Cu(bzpdc) was also tested and proven to be effective.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of P2-modified proline analogues targeting the HtrA serine protease in Chlamydia

High temperature requirement A (HtrA) serine proteases have emerged as a novel class of antibacterial target, which are crucial in protein quality control and are involved in the pathogenesis of a wide array of bacterial infections. Previously, we demonstrated that HtrA in Chlamydia is essential for bacterial survival, replication and virulence. Here, we report a new series of proline (P2)-modified inhibitors of Chlamydia trachomatis HtrA (CtHtrA) developed by proline ring expansion and Cγ-substitutions. The structure-based drug optimization process was guided by molecular modelling and in vitro pharmacological evaluation of inhibitory potency, selectivity and cytotoxicity. Compound 25 from the first-generation 4-substituted proline analogues increased antiCtHtrA potency and selectivity over human neutrophil elastase (HNE) by approximately 6- and 12-fold, respectively, relative to the peptidic lead compound 1. Based on this compound, second-generation substituted proline residues containing 1,2,3-triazole moieties were synthesized by regioselective azide-alkyne click chemistry. Compound 49 demonstrated significantly improved antichlamydial activity in whole cell assays, diminishing the bacterial infectious progeny below the detection limit at the lowest dose tested. Compound 49 resulted in approximately 9- and 22-fold improvement in the inhibitory potency and selectivity relative to 1, respectively. To date, compound 49 is the most potent HtrA inhibitor developed against Chlamydia spp.

Synthesis of novel hybrid quinoxaline containing triazole and acetamide moieties by azide-alkyne click chemistry: Experimental and theoretical characterization

Heterocyclic compounds bearing triazole and quinoxaline possess significant pharmacological activities. Herein, a new quinoxaline derivative containing 1,2,3-triazole moiety was synthesis using a copper-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) “click” procedure. The solid state crystal structures of 2-azido-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (AMA) and N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-((3-methyl-2-oxoquinoxalin-1(2H)-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)acetamide (QTA) were determined by X-ray structure analysis. Density Functional Theory (DFT) computations were performed using DFT/B3LYP with 6–311++G(d,p) basis set in the gas phase to get the optimized geometry of both molecules and detailed insights into the molecular and chemical properties that are inaccessible by experimental ways like global reactivity descriptors and Fukui functions. DFT calculations at the same level of theory, with the POP=NBO keyword, were used to evaluate charge delocalization and hyperconjugative interactions through Natural Bond orbital (NBO) analysis. In the title molecule, C21H20N6O3, the quinoxaline moiety is essentially planar while the whole molecule adopts an approximate "U" shape. In the crystal, the molecules form inversion dimers through slightly slipped π-stacking interactions between quinoxaline units. These form chains extending along the a-axis direction by a combination of additional π-stacking interactions as well as N—H···N and C—O···O hydrogen bonds and C—H···π(ring) interactions. The chains are connected by C—H···O and C—H···N hydrogen bonds. In the azide compound an intramolecular C—H···O hydrogen bond helps to establish the rotational orientation of the acetamide group. In the crystal, a stepped arrangements of ribbons approximately parallel to (10¯ 1) is formed by a combination of N—H···O, C—H···O and C—H···N hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, to evaluate the chemical reactivity and charge distribution on molecules, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps and atomic charges, computed by NBO theory were determined. Additionally, local reactive properties of AMA and QTA were determined using Fukui functions and dual descriptor calculations.

Amphifunctional Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with “Molecular Gates” for Controlled Drug Uptake and Release

AbstractIt is demonstrated that the uptake and release of hydrophobic drugs/dyes by mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) is critically dependent on the functional groups present on their outer surfaces. For this, amphifunctional MSNs are synthesized, possessing hydrophobic pores and hydrophilic functional groups on the outer surface. Further, the outer surface is modified with a different chain length of molecules, e.g., propargyl alcohol, triethylene glycol, and PEG (2000) via azide–alkyne click chemistry. The effect of these different surface functional groups on uptake of drug/dye is demonstrated with Nile red, proflavine (free base form), and rhodamine 6G. The uptake of these molecules is found to be inversely proportional to the bulkiness of surface functionality. To counter this effect, an alternate method of loading is proposed and demonstrated. Finally, the effect of these different functional groups on the release of loaded drug proflavine is studied, which supports the hypothesis that bulkier outer surface groups also hinder the release of drugs loaded in the porous MSN.

PEGylated Nanoscale Metal-Organic Frameworks for Targeted Cancer Imaging and Drug Delivery.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) are a unique type of hybrid materials, which are broadly applicable as cargo delivery systems. However, the relatively low material stability and insufficient cancer cell interacting capacity have limited nMOFs' applications in cancer theranostics. Herein, a zirconium-based nMOF UiO-66-N3 was synthesized, and its surface was covalently functionalized with alkyne-containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) via the azide-alkyne click chemistry. After that, F3 peptide was attached for targeting of cancer cells (the material was denoted as UiO-66-PEG-F3). Doxorubicin (DOX) served as a therapeutic drug and a fluorescent label in this study, and it was transported into UiO-66-PEG conjugates with sufficient drug loading efficiency. pH-responsive release of DOX from UiO-66 conjugates was witnessed. The structural integrity of UiO-66-N3 was maintained post the surface modification process. Flow cytometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that DOX/UiO-66-PEG-F3 had stronger accumulation in MDA-MB-231 cells (nucleolin+) compared with DOX/UiO-66-PEG. In order to track the pharmacokinetic behavior (organ distribution profile) in vivo, the positron-emitting zirconium-89 (89Zr) was incorporated into UiO-66-N3. Similar PEGylation and F3 peptide conjugation resulted in the formation of 89Zr-UiO-66-PEG-F3. Serial positron emission tomography (PET) imaging demonstrated that the preferential accumulation of 89Zr-UiO-66-PEG-F3 in MDA-MB-231 tumors, and their liver clearance was faster than PEGylated UiO-66 using noncovalent methods. Thus, the PEGylated nMOFs using covalent strategies may find broad application in future cancer theranostics.

Visible-Light Mediated Tryptophan Modification in Oligopeptides Employing Acylsilanes.

A method for the selective tryptophan modification and labelling of tryptophan-containing peptides is described. Photoirradiation of acylsilanes generates reactive siloxycarbenes which undergo H-N-insertion into the indole moiety of tryptophan to give stable silyl protected hemiaminals. This method is successfully applied to chemically modify various tryptophan containing oligopeptides. The method enables the selective introduction of alkynes to peptides that are eligible for further alkyne-azide click chemistry. In addition, the dansyl fluorophore can be conjugated to a peptide using this approach.

Evaluating the physicochemical effects of conjugating peptides into thermogelling hydrogels for regenerative biomaterials applications.

Thermogelling hydrogels, such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [P(NiPAAm)], provide tunable constructs leveraged in many regenerative biomaterial applications. Recently, our lab developed the crosslinker poly(glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(glycolic acid)-di(but-2-yne-1,4-dithiol), which crosslinks P(NiPAAm-co-glycidyl methacrylate) via thiol-epoxy reaction and can be functionalized with azide-terminated peptides via alkyne-azide click chemistry. This study’s aim was to evaluate the impact of peptides on the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. The physicochemical properties of the hydrogels including the lower critical solution temperature, crosslinking times, swelling, degradation, peptide release and cytocompatibility were evaluated. The gels bearing peptides increased equilibrium swelling indicating hydrophilicity of the hydrogel components. Comparable sol fractions were found for all groups, indicating that inclusion of peptides does not impact crosslinking. Moreover, the inclusion of a matrix metalloproteinase-sensitive peptide allowed elucidation of whether release of peptides from the network was driven by hydrolysis or enzymatic cleavage. The hydrophilicity of the network determined by the swelling behavior was demonstrated to be the most important factor in dictating hydrogel behavior over time. This study demonstrates the importance of characterizing the impact of additives on the physicochemical properties of hydrogels. These characteristics are key in determining design considerations for future in vitro and in vivo studies for tissue regeneration.

A Smart Core-Crosslinked Supramolecular Drug Delivery System (SDDS) Enabled by Pendant Cyclodextrins Encapsulation of Drug Dimers via Host-Guest Interaction.

Owing to poor aqueous solubility and low delivery efficiency, most of anti-cancer chemodrugs depend on various smart drug delivery platforms to enhance the treatment efficacy. Herein, a stimuli-responsive supramolecular drug delivery system (SDDS) is developed based on polymeric cyclodextrins (PCD) which crosslinked by stimuli-cleavable drug dimers via host-guest interaction. PEGylated PCD was precisely controlled synthesized by ring-opening polymerization and azide-alkyne click chemistry, and two doxorubicins (DOX) were linked with a disulfide bond to form a drug dimer (ss-DOX). They then co-assembled into supramolecular micelles. Drug dimers were utilized as cross-linkers to stabilize the micelles. The drug loading efficiency was very high that could be up to 98%. The size and morphology were measured by DLS and TEM. Owing to the disulfide bonds of drug dimers, these supramolecular micelles were dissociated by treating with dithiothreitol (DTT). In the meanwhile, the free DOXs were recovered and released from cavities of cyclodextrins because of dynamic equilibrium and hydrophilicity changes. The release profile was studied under mimic physiological conditions. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity study showed excellent anti-cancer efficacy of reduced-responsive supramolecular polymeric micelles. Therefore, it can be served as a safe and stimuli-responsive SDDS for cancer therapy.

A Modular Approach to Arylazo-1,2,3-triazole Photoswitches.

Azoheteroarenes make up an emerging class of photoswitchable compounds with unique photophysical properties and advantages over traditional azobenzenes. Therefore, methods for synthesizing azoheteroarenes are highly desirable. Here, we utilize azide-alkyne click chemistry to access arylazo-1,2,3-triazoles, a previously unexplored class of azoheteroarenes that exhibit high thermal stabilities and near-quantitative bidirectional photoconversion. Controlling the catalyst or 1,3-dipole grants access to both regioisomeric arylazotriazoles and arylazoisoxazoles, highlighting the versatility of our approach.

Design of Clickable Ionic Liquid Monomers to Enhance Ionic Conductivity for Main-Chain 1,2,3-Triazolium-Based Poly(Ionic Liquid)s.

A series of clickable α-azide-ω-alkyne ionic liquid (IL) monomers with an ethylene oxide spacer were developed and applied to the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazolium-based poly(ionic liquid)s (TPILs) with high ionic conductivities via one-step thermal azide–alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry. Subsequently, the number of IL moieties in the resultant TPILs was further increased by N-alkylation of the 1,2,3-triazole-based backbones of the TPILs with a quarternizing reagent. This strategy affords the preparation of TPILs having either one or two 1,2,3-triazolium cations with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions in a monomer unit. Synthesis of the TPILs was confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. The effects of the length of the ethylene oxide spacer and the number of IL moieties in the IL monomer unit on the physicochemical properties of the TPILs were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and impedance spectroscopy. The introduction of a longer ethylene oxide spacer or an increase in the number of IL moieties in the monomer unit resulted in TPILs with lower glass-transition temperatures and higher ionic conductivities. The highest ionic conductivity achieved in this study was 2.0 × 10–5 S cm–1 at 30 °C. These results suggest that the design of the IL monomer provides the resultant polymer with high chain flexibility and a high IL density, and so it is effective for preparing TPILs with high ionic conductivities.

Can Vitamin B12 Assist the Internalization of Antisense LNA Oligonucleotides into Bacteria?

The emergence of bacterial resistance to traditional small-molecule antibiotics is fueling the search for innovative strategies to treat infections. Inhibiting the expression of essential bacterial genes using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), particularly composed of nucleic acid mimics (NAMs), has emerged as a promising strategy. However, their efficiency depends on their association with vectors that can translocate the bacterial envelope. Vitamin B12 is among the largest molecules known to be taken up by bacteria and has very recently started to gain interest as a trojan-horse vector. Gapmers and steric blockers were evaluated as ASOs against Escherichia coli (E. coli). Both ASOs were successfully conjugated to B12 by copper-free azide-alkyne click-chemistry. The biological effect of the two conjugates was evaluated together with their intracellular localization in E. coli. Although not only B12 but also both B12-ASO conjugates interacted strongly with E. coli, they were mostly colocalized with the outer membrane. Only 6–9% were detected in the cytosol, which showed to be insufficient for bacterial growth inhibition. These results suggest that the internalization of B12-ASO conjugates is strongly affected by the low uptake rate of the B12 in E. coli and that further studies are needed before considering this strategy against biofilms in vivo.

Short Photoswitchable Ceramides Enable Optical Control of Apoptosis.

We report short ceramide analogs that can be activated with light and further functionalized using azide-alkyne click chemistry. These molecules, termed scaCers, exhibit increased cell permeability compared to their long-chain analogs as demonstrated using mass spectrometry and imaging. Notably, scaCers enable optical control of apoptosis, which is not observed with long-chain variants. Additionally, they function as photoswitchable substrates for sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2), exhibiting inverted light-dependence compared to their extended analogs.

Clickable perfluorocyclobutyl aryl ether polymers bearing azido groups: synthesis and post-functionalization

A novel class of clickable perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers containing azido groups (APFCB polymers) is reported. The thermal cyclopolymerization reaction of 2-methyl-1,4-bis(1,2,2-trifluorovinyloxy)benzene was first optimized by DSC, GPC and 19F NMR, and the matrix polymer (PFCB-Me) with high average molecular weights (Mw = 13.61 × 104 g/mol) and molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn = 1.68) was obtained. Then, a series of APFCB polymers with tunable azido contents were successfully prepared from the PFCB-Me polymer by bromination and azidation. Post-functionalization of APFCB polymers with sulfonate functionality was accomplished by Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry. The prepared polymers were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectra, while the thermal properties and solubility were also investigated. The APFCB polymers exhibit glass transition temperatures in the range of 67 °C to 73 °C and good solubility in common organic solvents. This work suggests that the designed APFCB polymers may be a promising versatile platform for developing new functional PFCB aryl ether polymers.