High density orthogonal surface immobilization via photoactivated copper-free click chemistry

Surfaces containing reactive ester polymer brushes were functionalized with cyclopropenone-masked dibenzocyclooctynes for the light activated immobilization of azides using catalyst-free click chemistry. The photodecarbonylation reaction in the amorphous brush layer is first order for the first 45 s with a rate constant of 0.022 s(-1). The catalyst-free cycloaddition of surface bound dibeznocyclooctynes proceeds rapidly in the presence of azides under ambient conditions. Photolithography using a shadow mask was used to demonstrate patterning with multiple azide containing molecules. This surface immobilization strategy provides a general and facile platform for the generation of multicomponent surfaces with spatially resolved chemical functionality.