Tech Spotlight: Improved Temporal + Spatial Control of Copper-Catalysed Alkyne–Azide Reactions (CuAAC)

"Click chemistry" reactions are high yielding, wide in scope, and simple to perform. Arguably the most prolific and powerful of these reactions is the copper-catalysed alkyne–azide reaction (CuAAC). The reaction is utilized in an ever increasing number of synthetic methodologies and applications, including bioconjugation, labelling, surface functionalization, dendrimer synthesis and in polymer synthesis and modification.

A  CU research team led by Brian Adzima and Christopher Bowman have discovered a method to catalyze the CuAAC reaction between azides and alkynes without the need for reducing agents (which lack temporal and spatial control). This efficient and simple catalyzation method has overcome the problems associated with the use of reducing agents in click reactions, and has diverse capability in small molecule synthesis, patterned material fabrication, and patterned chemical modification.

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