Hydrophobic reagents control experiments

It should be pointed out that despite their high reactivity carbenes are selective, and while they will react with hydrocarbons in the absence of nucleophiles, a nucleophilic group exposed within the bilayer will preferentially be attacked. Some properties of the three most thoroughly tested reagents iodonaphthyl azide, adamantane diazirine, and 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(m-iodophenyl)diazirine are summarized in Table 6.1. There follows a brief description of a typical experimental procedure, a discussion of control experiments, and several caveats, followed by some examples of the applications of hydrophobic reagents. 

Several control experiments have been suggested to confirm that hydrophobic reagents do label from within the lipid bilayer (Bercovici et al. 1978 Bayley and Knowles, 1980). Even though the reagents listed in Table 6.1 have been thoroughly tested and their virtues and limitations described, the wise investigator will repeat at least some of the controls described here with his system. 

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