Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Microwave-assisted Intramolecular Dehydrogenative Diels-Alder Reactions for the Synthesis of Functionalized Naphthalenes/Solvatochromic Dyes
Published on: April 1, 2013
Diene-modified nucleotides for the Diels-Alder-mediated functional tagging of DNA
Vinciane Borsenberger1, Stefan Howorka
1Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
Abstract:
We explore the potential of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition for the functional tagging of DNA strands. A deoxyuridine triphosphate derivative carrying a diene at position 5 of the pyrimidine base was synthesized using a two-step procedure. The derivative was efficiently accepted as substrate in enzymatic polymerization assays. Diene carrying strands underwent successful cycloaddition with maleimide-terminated fluorescence dyes and a polymeric reagent. Furthermore, a nucleotide carrying a peptide via a Diels-Alder cyclohexene linkage was prepared and sequence-specifically incorporated into DNA. The Diels-Alder reaction presents a number of positive attributes such as good chemoselectivity, water compatibility, high-yield under mild conditions and no additional reagents apart from a diene and a dienophile. Furthermore, suitable dienophiles are commercially available in the form of maleimide-derivatives of fluorescent dyes and bioaffinity tags. Based on these advantages, diene- and cyclohexene-based nucleotide triphosphates are expected to find wider use in the area of nucleic acid chemistry.
Related Concept Videos
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienes
Characteristics of the diene
Conformation
The simplest example of a diene is 1,3-butadiene, an acyclic conjugated π system. At room temperature, the molecule exists as a mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformers by virtue of rotation around the carbon–carbon single bond. Although the s-trans isomer is more stable, the...
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienophiles
Characteristics of Dienophiles
Generally, the best dienophiles are alkenes containing electron-withdrawing substituents such as carbonyl, nitrile, and nitro groups. The feasibility of a Diels–Alder reaction depends on...
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Cyclic Products: Stereochemistry
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Bridged Bicyclic Products: Stereochemistry
Maxam-Gilbert Sequencing
Challenges of the Maxam-Gilbert Method
The...

