Highly efficient functionalization and cross-linking of polypeptides is achieved via tyrosine-triazolinedione (TAD) conjugation chemistry. The feasibility of the reaction is demonstrated by the reaction of 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) with tyrosine containing block copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-Tyr4 as well as a statistical copolymer of tyrosine and lysine (poly(Lys40 -st-Tyr10 )) prepared form N-carboxyanhydride polymerization. Selective reaction of PTAD with the tyrosine units is obtained and verified by size exclusion chromatography and NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, two monofunctional and two difunctional TAD molecules are synthesized. It is found that their stability in the aqueous reaction media significantly varied. Under optimized reaction conditions selective functionalization and cross-linking, yielding polypeptide hydrogels, can be achieved. TAD-mediated conjugation can offer an interesting addition in the toolbox of selective (click-like) polypeptide conjugation methodologies as it does not require functional non-natural amino acids.
Keywords: N-carboxyanhydrides; click reactions; cross-linking; hydrogels; polypeptides.
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