Publications by authors named "Wai Lean Koay"

Chemical reaction systems that can occur via multiple pathways in a controllable fashion are highly attractive for advanced materials applications and biological research. In this report, we introduce a bioorthogonal reaction manifold based on a chalcone pyrene () moiety that can undergo either red-shifted photoreversible [2 + 2] cycloaddition or thiol-Michael addition click reaction. By coupling the to a water-soluble poly(ethylene glycol) end group, we demonstrate the efficient polymer dimerization and cleavage by blue light (λ = 450 nm) and UV light (λ = 340 nm), respectively.

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Photocontrolled deprotection of specific functional groups has garnered significant interest over the past two decades. Notably, the selective deprotection of distinct groups based on wavelength has emerged as a prominent focus in recent research. The achievement of this objective has primarily involved the utilization of linker-based bichromophoric systems and diverse cocktail mixtures of photoresponsive protecting groups (PRPGs), each responsive to varying wavelengths of light.

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Pyrroloindolines are important and privileged polycyclic indoline motifs that are widely present in natural products and bio-significant molecules. From an organic chemistry perspective, their rigid tricyclic molecular architectures with a fully substituted carbon center at the C3a-position pose a great challenge to synthetic chemists. In a biological context, pyrroloindoline-containing alkaloids display a plethora of promising activities, making them significant in biological sciences and drug development.

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