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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides
Published on: June 2, 2022
Phosphate esters as "tunable" reagents in organic synthesis
Stefano Protti1, Maurizio Fagnoni
1Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 10, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
Phosphates are crucial in biochemistry but challenging in synthetic chemistry due to low reactivity. New methods like metal catalysis and photochemistry are unlocking their potential in organic synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry and Organic Synthesis
Background:
- Phosphates play vital roles in biological systems.
- Their poor reactivity in nucleophilic substitution limits synthetic applications compared to halides and sulfonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore new activation modes for phosphates in organic synthesis.
- To overcome the inherent limitations of phosphate reactivity.
Main Methods:
- Investigating metal catalysis for phosphate activation.
- Exploring photochemical methods for benzyl and aryl phosphates.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that new activation modes can enhance phosphate reactivity.
- Showcased the potential of photochemistry for specific phosphate derivatives.
Conclusions:
- Metal catalysis and photochemistry offer promising avenues for utilizing phosphates in synthesis.
- These methods can transform limitations into opportunities for developing tunable reactions.
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