Glycosylidene Carbenes. Part 8. Crystal Structure of a Cyclic, N-Acetylallosamine-Derived Alkoxy-alkyl-diazirine

Structure, Bonding, and Photoaffinity Labeling Applications of Dialkyldiazirines

Dialkyldiazirine photoaffinity probes are unparalleled tools for the study of small molecule–protein interactions. Here we summarize the basic principles of structure, bonding, and photoreactivity of dialkyldiazirines, current methods for their synthesis, and their practical application in photoaffinity labeling experiments. We demonstrate the unique utility of dialkyldiazirine probes in the context of our recent photoaffinity crosslinking-mass spectrometry analysis to reveal a hidden cholesterol binding site in the Hedgehog morphogen proteins.

1 Introduction

2 Structure, Bonding, and Spectral Properties

3 Photoreactivity

4 Synthesis

5 Application in Photoaffinity Labeling

6 Discovery of a Cholesterol–Hedgehog Protein Interface

7 Conclusions and Outlook

2,6-Diaziadamantane: a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study and theoretical calculations

The first single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of 2,6-diaziadamantane (2), a compound containing two diazirine functionalities, and B3LYP/6-311+G* and MP2/6-311+G* calculations relating to the interaction between carbon-nitrogen and nitrogen-nitrogen covalent bonds and electron density within the diazirine rings have been performed. In addition, the protonation of 2-aziadamantane (1) has been investigated. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of 2, including UV/vis titrations of 1, corroborate the theoretical conclusion that the low basicity can be attributed to a rehybridization of the nitrogen lone pairs. Moreover, the strain in diazirine is unusually small.