The synthesis of diene-containing nucleoside phosphoramidites and their use in the labeling of oligonucleotides.

A variety of furan-modified nucleoside phosphoramidite monomers has been prepared and efficiently incorporated into oligonucleotides. These take part in Diels-Alder reactions with fluorescent maleimides to give fluorescent-labeled oligonucleotides. This represents a strategy for oligonucleotide labeling that is orthogonal to amine-based methods.

Novel photocleavable universal support for oligonucleotide synthesis.

A novel photocleavable universal support for the automated solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides is described. The linker between the growing oligonucleotide chain and CPG support contains a nucleophilic amine protected with a photocleavable group. On exposure to UV light, this group is detached and the free amine affords cleavage of the oligonucleotide from the support.