Synthesis and Characterization of Silica Gel Particles Functionalized with Bioactive Materials

Bioactive materials (having an amino acid, Ac-Tryptophan, A or a peptide, Ac-Trp-Ala-Ala, B) were anchored onto silica particles. A photoactive linker (N,N′-bis(2-phosphonoethyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide (DPN)) was initially attached to the particles and next the amino acids were bound by using both Zr/P chemistry and 1,3-diisopropylcarbodiimide/1-hydroxybenzotriazole coupling. In A derivative extensive complexation of Trp with DPN was observed. Photolysis studies showed the presence of excited state reactions on the silica particles, moreover the radical species (DPN.−, TrpH.+, Trp.) remained alive ∼100 times longer on the particle surface than in solution. These studies show that the formation rate of these radicals is a function of the supramolecular structures of the peptide and of the amino acid derivative on the silica particle.