UnyLinker: An Efficient and Scaleable Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Utilizing a Universal Linker Molecule: A Novel Approach To Enhance the Purity of Drugs

A novel universal linker (UnyLinker) molecule which has a conformationally rigid and chemically stable bridge head ring oxygen atom carrying a conventional 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl (DMT) and succinyl groups locked in a syn orientation has been developed to carry out oligonucleotide synthesis efficiently and smoothly. The geometry of the vicinal syn oxygen functionalized group allows fast and clean cleavage under standard aqueous ammonia deprotection conditions to afford high-quality oligonucleotides. No base modification is observed, based on the ion-pair HPLC−UV−MS (IP-HPLC−UV−MS) method with detection limit of <0.1%. A class of impurities formed by branching from the exocyclic amino group of nucleosides loaded onto a solid support has been eliminated by the use of this method. Examples demonstrating the versatile nature of this molecule are shown by syntheses of different chemistries such as 2′-deoxy, 2′-O-methyl, 2′-O-methoxyethyl, Lock nucleic acids (LNA), 2′-α-fluoro nucleic acids (FANA), conjugates such...