N-Succinimidyl 4-Azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate (CAS 126695-58-7)

N-Succinimidyl 4-Azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate is a compound utilized in the field of chemical biology and materials science for its role as a photo-reactive crosslinking agent. Its azido group can be activated by ultraviolet or near-infrared light to form a reactive nitrene, which can insert into C-H, N-H, or O-H bonds of neighboring chemical groups. This attribute makes it a valuable tool for photoaffinity labeling, a technique used to study protein-protein, protein-DNA, or protein-ligand interactions by creating covalent bonds upon light activation. Additionally, researchers use this compound for surface modification of biomaterials, where the tetrafluorobenzoate moiety can provide high chemical stability and the succinimidyl ester is used to conjugate the molecule to a variety of amine-containing compounds. Its application in the creation of polymer networks and hydrogels is also of interest because of the possibility to control crosslinking spatially and temporally with light.