Synthesis of monodisperse inorganic polyphosphate polyP₁₀ via a photocaging strategy

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), a linear biopolymer composed only of orthophosphate units, has emerged as a molecule of critical biological importance across species. While commercially available polyPs are polydisperse mixtures - irrespective of their origin (chemical, biochemical) - recent strategies have focused on the bottom-up synthesis of monodisperse polyPs that have distinct advantages in mechanistic studies. However, until now, syntheses have been limited to defined chains of up to eight phosphate units due to challenges in deprotection-associated degradation and purification. Here, we disclose a new strategy based on two terminal coumarin photocages to synthesize the longest monodisperse polyP chain available to date: polyP₁₀. The photoremovable protecting groups facilitate purification and enable efficient deprotection with light. By tuning the photocage, we achieve control over uncaging wavelengths, integrate targeting modifications and incorporate ¹⁸O-labels. This is the first example of a photouncaging strategy in which an ¹⁸O-labeled photocage is specifically designed to release an ¹⁸O-labeled metabolite for downstream applications. During the uncaging, we observe an unprecedented aromatic substitution reaction from a cleaved coumarin photocage cation onto the second photocage that is still attached to the polyP chain. This suggests a π-stacking facilitated loop-like arrangement of caged polyP in water that is supported by DFT calculations.