HYDROQUINONE-O,O'-DIACETIC ACID (Q-LINKER) AS A REPLACEMENT FOR SUCCINYL AND OXALYL LINKER ARMS IN SOLID-PHASE OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS

When hydroquinone-O,O'-diacetic acid is used as a linker arm in solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis, the time for NH4OH cleavage of oligod eoxy- or oligoribonucleotides is reduced to only 2 min. This allows in creased productivity on automated DNA synthesizers without requiring a ny other modifications to existing reagents or synthesis and deprotect ion methods, The Q-linker may also be rapidly cleaved by milder reagen ts such as 5% NH4OH, potassium carbonate, anhydrous ammonia, t-butylam ine or fluoride ion. However, the Q-linker is sufficiently stable for longterm storage at room temperature without degradation and no loss o f material occurs during synthesis, The linker is also reasonably resi stant to 20% piperidine/DMF, 0.5 M DBU/pyridine and 1:1 triethylamine/ ethanol. The Q-linker can therefore serve as a general replacement for both succinyl and oxalyl linker arms.