Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester | CAS 2055104-86-2

Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester is a PEG-based propargylated ester designed for copper-free or copper-mediated click chemistry workflows, enabling efficient conjugation of alkyne handles to complementary azide-bearing partners. The reagent combines a flexible, hydrophilic PEG spacer with a protected ester motif, which is commonly selected to improve solubility, reduce nonspecific interactions, and support downstream surface or biomolecule functionalization. Its propargyl group makes it a practical building block for constructing PEGylated conjugates used in chemical biology, materials functionalization, and molecular imaging reagent development.

1. Hydrogel And Surface Functionalization

Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester is widely used to introduce alkyne functionality into polymeric networks and material surfaces where PEG-mediated spacing improves accessibility of reactive sites. Researchers incorporate the reagent into hydrogel formulations, coating chemistries, and scaffold functionalization strategies to enable subsequent click attachment of fluorescent tags, affinity ligands, or other modular components bearing azide groups. The PEG14 chain supports homogeneous presentation and helps limit steric shielding, which is particularly valuable when building multicomponent material platforms for microscopy, sensing, or cell-interaction studies.

2. Bioconjugation For Probe Assembly

Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester serves as a convenient alkyne-bearing PEG linker for assembling research probes that require defined spacing between a targeting or recognition element and a reporter payload. In chemical biology workflows, the reagent is commonly used to generate azide-reactive conjugates by first installing the propargyl handle onto a biomolecule or carrier, followed by click coupling to azide-functional reporters, enrichment tags, or visualization reagents. The PEG spacer is frequently selected to improve aqueous compatibility and to moderate nonspecific adsorption during probe incubation and washing steps.

3. Molecular Imaging And Labeling

Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester is used as a PEGylated click handle for constructing labeled imaging reagents, including fluorescent and luminescent probes, where modular attachment is required for rapid panel generation. Teams developing molecular imaging tools often rely on the propargyl group to couple imaging moieties or reference standards through azide–alkyne click chemistry, while the PEG14 segment helps maintain probe solubility and reduces aggregation in labeling buffers. This approach supports consistent conjugate architecture across different reporter formats and facilitates systematic optimization of labeling density and presentation.

4. PEGylated Linker For Nanomaterials

Propargyl-PEG14-t-butyl ester is frequently applied in nanomaterial and nanoparticle functionalization to create stable, water-compatible alkyne interfaces for subsequent click-based assembly. Materials scientists use the reagent to graft PEGylated linkers onto particle surfaces or to incorporate them into nanoparticle formulations, enabling modular attachment of azide-bearing ligands such as targeting motifs, surface charge modifiers, or analytical tags. The long PEG chain is particularly useful for improving colloidal stability and for presenting reactive sites away from the particle core, which supports reproducible downstream conjugation and characterization workflows.