Click chemistry as a reliable method for the high-density postsynthetic functionalization of alkyne-modified DNA.

[reaction: see text] We report the development of the Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition (click) reaction for the multiple postsynthetic labeling of alkyne-modified DNA. A series of alkyne-modified oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) of increasing alkyne density were prepared, and the click reaction using various azide labels was investigated. Complete high-density conversion was observed for ODNs containing up to six consecutive alkyne functions. Compatibility of the click conditions with long DNA strands was shown using a PCR product obtained with an alkyne-modified primer.