DBCO reagents

DBCO (dibenzocyclooctynes) compounds are very reactive and are used in the copper-free click chemistry reaction of strain promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) to produce a stable triazole. The copper catalyst is toxic to most organisms, so removing the need for this means the cycloaddition can occur in many biological systems: in bioconjugation and biomolecular labelling. The chemistry of the DBCO reagents is immune to complex chemical environments, including aqueous conditions, and will be inert to amines and hydroxyls within a large range of temperature and pH. These click reactions give high yields as the DBCO compounds are thermostable and very specifically reactive towards azides.