An Ionic Liquid Medium Enables Development of a Phosphine-Mediated Amine–Azide Bioconjugation Method

While a diverse set of design strategies have produced various chemical tools for biomolecule labeling in aqueous media, the development of nonaqueous, biomolecule-compatible media for bioconjugation has significantly lagged behind. In this report, we demonstrate that an aprotic ionic liquid serves as a novel reaction solvent for protein bioconjugation without noticeable loss of the biomolecule functions. The ionic liquid bioconjugation approach led to discovery of a novel triphenylphosphine-mediated amine-azide coupling reaction that forges a stable tetrazene linkage on unprotected peptides and proteins. This strategy of using untraditional media would provide untapped opportunities for expanding the scope of chemical approaches for bioconjugation.