Polymeric beads for oligomer synthesis

Abstract

The present invention provides solid support media for use in oligomer synthesis, methods of producing the media, and methods of using the media. In some embodiments, the processes of the invention comprise (a) providing an organic phase comprising an olefin monomer, a cross-linker, a functionalizing reagent and an initiator; and (b) contacting the organic phase with an aqueous phase under conditions of time and temperature effective to form the polymeric bead.

1 . A process of making a polymeric bead comprising:
 (a) providing an organic phase; and   (b) contacting said organic phase with an aqueous phase, under conditions of time, temperature and pressure effective to form the polymeric bead;
 wherein said organic phase comprises olefin monomers, a cross-linking monomer, a functionalizing monomer that is capable of generating a hydroxyl group, an initiator, an organic solvent; 
 wherein said organic solvent comprises one or more liquid hydrocarbons, and/or an alcohol having from five to twelve carbon atoms; 
 said aqueous phase comprises water and a dispersing reagent; and 
   wherein:
 the percentage by weight of olefin monomers initially present in total monomers is from about 60% to about 96%; 
 the percentage by weight of cross-linking monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 3% to 9.9%; 
 the percentage by weight of the functionalizing monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 1% to about 20%; 
 the percentage by weight of monomers initially present in the organic phase is from about 33% to about 67%; 
 the percentage by weight of the organic solvent initially present in the organic phase is from about 33% to about 67%; 
 the percentage by weight of liquid hydrocarbon present in the organic solvent is from about 0% to about 80%; 
 the percentage by weight of an alcohol having from five to twelve carbon atoms initially present in the organic solvent is from about 20% to about 100%; and 
 the percentage by weight of the dispersing reagent initially present in the aqueous phase is from about 0.01% to about 20%. 
   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the percentage by weight of olefin monomers initially present in total monomers is from about 75% to about 94%;   the percentage by weight of cross-linking monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 4% to 9.9%;   the percentage by weight of the functionalizing monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 2% to about 10%;   the percentage by weight of monomers initially present in the organic phase is from about 35% to about 60%;   the percentage by weight of the organic solvent initially present in the organic phase is from about 40% to about 65%;   the percentage by weight of hydrocarbon present in the organic solvent is from about 5% to about 70%; and   the percentage by weight of an alcohol having from five to twelve carbon atoms initially present in the organic solvent is from about 30% to about 95%.   
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the percentage by weight of olefin monomers initially present in total monomers is from about 82% to about 91.5%;   the percentage by weight of cross-linking monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 5.5% to 9.9%;   the percentage by weight of the functionalizing monomer initially present in total monomers is from about 3% to about 8%;   the percentage by weight of monomers initially present in the organic phase is from about 40% to about 50%;   the percentage by weight of the organic solvent initially present in the organic phase is from about 50% to about 60%;   the percentage by weight of liquid hydrocarbon present in the organic solvent is from about 10% to about 60%; and   the percentage by weight of an alcohol having from five to twelve carbon atoms initially present in the organic solvent is from about 40% to about 90%.   
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the olefin monomers comprise one or more aryl-vinyl compounds. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the olefin monomers comprise ethylstyrene. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking monomer is an olefinic cross-linking monomer having two unconjugated vinyl groups. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking monomer is an olefinic cross-linking monomer having two unconjugated vinyl groups attached to an aromatic moiety; wherein the aromatic moiety is a five or six member aromatic ring. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking monomer is divinylbenzene. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the functionalizing monomer is an olefinic monomer having a protected functional group, which, when deprotected, yields a functional group capable of reacting with an acid to form an ester. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the functionalizing monomer is an olefinic monomer, having a protected hydroxyl group. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the functionalizing monomer is acyloxystyrene. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the initiator is a stabilized peroxide or azo compound. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the stabilized peroxide comprises benzoylperoxide. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent comprises one or more liquid alkanes, benzene, toluene, xylenes and/or an alcohol having from five to twelve carbon atoms. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent comprises one or more octanes, and/or an alcohol having five to twelve carbon atoms. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent comprises isooctane and/or 2-ethylhexanol. 
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersing reagent comprises a polyalcohol. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersing reagent comprises a polyvinylalcohol. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic phase and aqueous phase are heated to a temperature of about 25° C. to about 95° C. 
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic phase and aqueous phase are heated to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 85° C. 
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic phase and aqueous phase are heated to a temperature of about 75° C. to about 80° C. 
   
   
       22 . A polymeric bead formed by the process of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       23 . The polymeric bead of  claim 22 , wherein said bead has a loading capability from about 100 μmole per gram of bead to about 350 μmole per gram of bead. 
   
   
       24 . The polymeric bead of  claim 22 , wherein said bead has an average particle size of 10 μm to 300 μm. 
   
   
       25 . The polymeric bead of  claim 22 , wherein said bead has an average pore size of 10 nm to 100 nm. 
   
   
       26 . The polymeric bead of  claim 22 , wherein said bead has a specific surface area of 10 m 2 /g to 100 m 2 /g. 
   
   
       27 . A compound of Formula I: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein:
 G 3  is O, S, CH 2  or NH; 
 G 5  is O, S, CH 2 , CFH, CF 2 , or —CH═CH—; 
 G 6  is O, S, CH 2  or NH; 
 each R 2 ′ is H, OH, O-rg, wherein rg is a removable protecting group, a 2′-substituent or together with R 4 ′ forms a bridge; 
 each R 3 ′ is H or a substituent; 
 each R 4 ′ is H, a substituent or together with R 2 ′ forms a bridge; 
 R 5 ′ is H or a substituent; 
 q is 0 or 1; 
 Bx is a nucleobase; 
 T′ is H or a removable protecting group; 
 LL is a linking moiety; and 
 SS is a bead of  claim 22 . 
 
   
   
       28 . A compound of Formula II: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein:
 m is an integer from 0 to about 100; 
 each G 1  is O or S; 
 each G 2  is OH or SH; 
 each G 3  is O, S, CH 2  or NH; 
 each G 5  is O, S, CH 2 , CFH, CF 2  or —CH═CH—; 
 each G 6  is independently O, S, CH 2  or NH; 
 each R 2 ′ is H, OH, O-rg, wherein rg is a removable protecting group, a 2′-substituent or together with R 4 ′ forms a bridge; 
 each R 3 ′ is H or a substituent; 
 each R 4 ′ is H, a substituent or together with R 2 ′ forms a bridge; 
 each R 5 ′ is H or a substituent; 
 each q is 0 or 1; 
 each Bx is a nucleobase; 
 pg is a removable phosphorous protecting group; 
 T′ is a removable protecting group, 
 LL is a linking moiety; and 
 SS is a bead of  claim 22 . 
 
   
   
       29 . A method for synthesizing a polynucleotide of a predetermined sequence comprising (a) providing a polystyrene support comprising a cross-linking monomer wherein the cross-linking monomer initially present in said plurality of monomers is from about 3% to 9.9% by weight; (b) reacting said polystyrene support with a linker-bearing nucleoside to prepare a support-bound nucleoside; (c) deprotecting a hydroxyl group of the support-bound nucleoside; (d) contacting the support-bound nucleoside with an activated protected nucleoside to produce a phosphate intermediate; (e) contacting the phosphate intermediate with an oxidizing reagent to produce a phosphotriester intermediate; (f) optionally capping unreacted nucleosides; (g) optionally repeating steps (c)-(f) at least one time; and (h) cleaving the polynucleotide from the polystyrene support. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the cross-linking monomer, initially present in said plurality of monomers is from about 5.5% to 9.9% by weight. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the cross-linking monomer, initially present in said plurality of monomers is about 7% by weight. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the cross-linking monomer is divinylbenzene.