Fabrication of ssDNA/Oligo(ethylene glycol) Monolayers by Promoted Exchange Reaction with Thiol and Disulfide Substituents

Biorepulsive oligo(ethylene glycol)-substituted alkanethiolate (OEG-AT) monolayers on gold can serve as primary templates for promoted (by electron irradiation) exchange reaction with thiolated ssDNA species, resulting in the formation of mixed OEG-AT/ssDNA monolayers of desired composition. Here we test the ability of alternative, disulfide precursors to serve as substituents in such a reaction. Two representative molecules, based on adenine-based homo-oligonucleotide (25-mer), were used, viz., asymmetric disulfide with a short second chain (A25SSOH) and symmetric disulfide (A25SSA25). The results were compared to the reference system of thiolated ssDNA (A25SH). Both disulfide precursors were found to be suitable for the reaction, further extending the types of commercially available compounds which can be used for this approach. A25SSOH exhibited quite high efficiency, similar to A25SH, while the efficiency of A25SSA25 was noticeably lower, especially at low irradiation doses (