Transition metal-based selective functionalization of chalcogens in biomolecules

A method of functionalizing a thiol or selenol, wherein said method is represented by Scheme 1:

• wherein:
• A1 is H, an amine protecting group, alkyl, arylalkyl, acyl, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, a natural or unnatural amino acid, a plurality of natural amino acids or unnatural amino acids, a peptide, an oligopeptide, a polypeptide, a protein, an antibody, or an antibody fragment;
• A2 is NH2, NH(amide protecting group), N(amide protecting group), OH, O(carboxylate protecting group), a natural or unnatural amino acid, a plurality of natural amino acids or unnatural amino acids, a peptide, an oligopeptide, a polypeptide, a protein, an antibody, or an antibody fragment;
• Y is S or Se;
• R1 is H, alkyl, arylalkyl, acyl, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, a natural or unnatural amino acid, a plurality of natural amino acids or unnatural amino acids, a peptide, an oligopeptide, a polypeptide, a protein, an antibody, or an antibody fragment;
• M is Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, or Au;
• Ar1 is optionally substituted aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, or cycloalkenyl;
• X is a halide, triflate, tetrafluoroborate, tetraarylborate, hexafluoroantimonate, bis(alkylsulfonyl)amide, tetrafluorophosphate, hexafluorophosphate, alkylsulfonate, haloalkylsulfonate, arylsulfonate, perchlorate, bis(fluoroalkylsulfonyl)amide, bis(arylsulfonyl)amide, (fluoroalkylsulfonyl)(fluoroalkyl-carbonyl)amide, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, hydrogensulfate, alkyl sulfate, aryl sulfate, carbonate, bicarbonate, carboxylate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, phosphinate, or hypochlorite;
• L is independently for each occurrence a trialkylphosphine, a triarylphosphine, a dialkylarylphosphine, an alkyldiarylphosphine, an (alkenyl)(alkyl)(aryl)phosphine, an alkenyldiarylphosphine, an alkenyldialkylphosphine, a phosphine oxide, a bis(phosphine), a phosphoramide, a triarylphosphonate, an N-heterocyclic carbene, an optionally substituted phenanthroline, an optionally substituted iminopyridine, an optionally substituted 2,2′-bipyridine, an optionally substituted diimine, an optionally substituted triazolylpyridine, or an optionally substituted pyrazolyl pyridine;
• n is an integer from 1-5;
• m is 1 or 2;
• and
• solvent is a polar protic solvent, a polar aprotic solvent, or a non-polar solvent.