Synthesis of acetylene-substituted probes with benzene-phosphate backbones for RNA labeling

Conversion of dimethyl 5-aminoisophthalate into the iodoarene via the corresponding diazonium intermediate, followed by Sonogashira coupling with trimethylsilylacetylene afford the alkynylarene, which is reduced with LiAlH4 to give 5-ethynyl-1,3-benzenedimethanol (B(E)). One hydroxyl group is protected with a 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl (DMTr) group and subsequently another hydroxyl group is phosphitylated to produce the phosphoramidite. The mono-DMTr compound is also modified to afford the corresponding succinate, which is then reacted with controlled pore glass (CPG) to provide the solid support. Either the phosphoramidite or the solid support is employed in solid-phase synthesis of RNA containing B(E). RNA oligomers bearing B(E) rapidly react with 4-fluorobenzylazide to produce the cycloaddition products in good to excellent yield.