Synthesis and characterization of photoaffinity labelling reagents towards the Hsp90 C-terminal domain

Glucosyl-novobiocin-based diazirine photoaffinity labelling reagents (PALs) were designed and synthesized to probe the Hsp90 C-terminal domain unknown binding pocket and the structure-activity relationship. Five PALs were successfully synthesized from novobiocin in six consecutive steps employing phase transfer catalytic glycosylation. Reactions were monitored and guided by analytical LC/MS which led to different strategies of adding either a PAL precursor or a sugar moiety first. The structures and bonding linkages of these compounds were characterised by various 2D-NMR spectroscopy and MS techniques. Synthetic techniques provide powerful probes for unknown protein binding pockets.