title: Ascorbate as a pro-oxidant: mild N-terminal modification with vinylboronic acids.
abstract: We describe divergent reactivity of vinylboronic acids for protein modification. In addition to previously reported copper-catalyzed backbone N-H modification, ascorbate in air mediates N-terminal functionalization with the same vinylboronate reagents. This mild and selective aqueous reactivity enables selective single-modification of the B chain of human insulin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, Texas, USA. zb1@rice.edu.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohata
authors.forename: Zachary T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Ball