Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Preparation of Stable Bicyclic Aziridinium Ions and Their Ring-Opening for the Synthesis of Azaheterocycles
Published on: August 22, 2018
1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions of Diazo Compounds in the Presence of Azides
Matthew R Aronoff1, Brian Gold1, Ronald T Raines1
1Department of Chemistry and ‡Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States.
Abstract:
The diazo group has untapped utility in chemical biology. The tolerance of stabilized diazo groups to cellular metabolism is comparable to that of azido groups. However, chemoselectivity has been elusive, as both groups undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with strained alkynes. Removing strain and tuning dipolarophile electronics yields diazo group selective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions that can be performed in the presence of an azido group. For example, diazoacetamide but not its azido congener react with dehydroalanine residues, as in the natural product nisin.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling
Diazonium Group Substitution with Halogens and Cyanide: Sandmeyer and Schiemann Reactions
Cycloaddition Reactions: Overview
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism
Diazonium Group Substitution: –OH and –H
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction

