Synthesis of N-propynyl analogues of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomers and their use in the click reaction to prepare N-functionalized PNAs

Application of the click reaction for coupling a 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethoxy (AEE) function to thyminyl, cytosinyl and adeninyl peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomer analogues bearing a N-propynyl group, in place of the original N-2-aminoethyl moiety, has been explored. The N-propynyl PNA analogues were prepared from glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride and the structure of the thyminyl derivative was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. These monomers were employed in click reactions with Boc-protected AEE azide to afford the corresponding triazolyl-linked PNA–AEE conjugates in yields ranging from 64 to 76%. [1,4]-Regiochemistry was verified from a NOESY correlation experiment.