Transient Protection of Strained Alkynes from Click Reaction via Complexation with Copper

Abstract

A transient protection method of cyclooctynes from a click reaction with an azide through 1:1 complexation with a cationic copper(I) salt is reported. The application of the method to a cyclooctyne bearing a terminal alkyne enabled the selective copper-catalyzed click conjugation with an azide at the terminal alkyne moiety, which made cyclooctyne derivatives readily accessible.