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A Guide to Azide NHS Ester – A Chemical Reactor That Mingles with Biotin-Alkyne

Author: Leonardo Dicaprio
by Leonardo Dicaprio
Posted: Dec 14, 2014

NHS-Azide reagents are primarily considered as amine-reactive compounds. These are mostly used in derivation of amines from proteins. To derivate amine-coated polymer surfaces for ligation, Azide NHS Ester has been also used. After the reactions with primary amines, NHS-Azide forms covalent bonds. Generally, most of the people, who are in research field for chemical reactions, know that azide group mostly reacts with phosphine-labeled molecules. The mechanism of this reaction has been widely known as Staudinger chemistry, which is an effective process of derivation of molecules that are often used as biological samples. The reactions of Azide-NHS with various kinds of phosphine-labeled molecules have resulted in some major innovations in the field of chemistry.

Highlights of NHS-Azide Reagent

  • Soluble in water: This reagent easily gets dissolved in water. Furthermore, they can also be dissolved in water-miscible solvents. The aqueous solution can also take part in chemical reactions.
  • Compatibility: In simple buffer conditions, reactions can take place. Thus, this reaction agent is highly compatible in different environment conditions.
  • Specific: NHS esters are specifically used for reacting with primary amines.

Few Interesting Notes

It has to be noted that azide and phosphine groups do not react with biological samples. They only conjugate with one another with prime efficiency. If you take a very little portion of NHS-Azide, you will find that the spacer arm contains a 4-unit polyethylene glycol (PEG) group. Basically due to the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) group, increased solubility in water for azide can be noted. To know more interesting facts about NHS azide, you can go through Click Chemistry Reagents.

Reaction with Biotin Alkyne

Azide NHS has been often characterized or recognized in the chemistry labs by its reaction power with Biotin-Alkyne. Aqueous solutions of both of them get into chemical reaction, under normal temperature and pressure, to create Biotin-Azide. Biotin Alkyne is available in the marketplace, which can be bought from any chemist stores. However, it is very costly and 1MG of Biotin-Alkyne may cost around $65-$70. Furthermore, it is available in the marketplace in different forms and different forms cost differently.

Chemical Structure and Properties

NHS-Azide reagents are considered as label proteins as well as molecules that contain primary amines, when it reacts with NHS Ester. The labeled molecules have been noted to have an azine group, which is chemically signified as (N3). These compounds are identical though their overall length can vary. The length varies due to the different numbers of polyethylene glycol groups (PEG units). The one possesses high number of polyethylene glycol groups (PEG units) is naturally longer.

About the Author

DBCO-based building blocks, labeling reagents, haptens, and fluorescent probes for Cyclooctynes, Cu-free click chemistry. Click Chemistry Tools offers small molecule conjugation, protein-protein conjugation and modification of proteins with bioorthog

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Author: Leonardo Dicaprio

Leonardo Dicaprio

Member since: Dec 10, 2014
Published articles: 5

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