Microwave enhanced reaction of carbohydrates with amino-derivatised labels and glass surfaces

Abstract

The reaction between carbohydrates and amino-derivatised labels has been improved through microwave heating. We show it proceeds principally via solvent mediated heating rather than either direct microwave heating of the reagents or microwave influenced changes in the rates of mutarotation in the sugars beyond those obtained by conventional thermal heating. The method is applied to the attachment of sugars to an aminosilane-derivatised glass surface suitable for the construction of carbohydrate microarrays.