Thiol, silica-entrapped

The microspheres—synthesised via a two-step process (acid-catalysed hydrolysis and condensation of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) in aqueous solution, followed by condensation catalysed by triethanolamine)—have a narrow size distribution (Figure 5.16) and are considerably more stable than polystyrene divinylbenzene microspheres as shown in phosphoramidite oligonucleotide synthesis by the excellent retention of fluorescence intensity in each of the reagent steps involved in phosphoramidite DNA synthesis (Figure 5.17, in which the organo-silica microsphere free thiol groups are derivatized with ATTO 550 maleimide coupled to the entrapped dye). 

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