Substrate for immobilizing functional substances and method for preparing the same

Abstract

A substrate having compounds disposed thereon for immobilizing a functional molecule, each compound having a chain including: a moiety R that is chemically coupled to the substrate, the moiety R being selected from the group consisting of an ether, ester, carbonyl, carbonate ester, thioether, disulfide, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, and carbonothioyl; and an epoxide-containing moiety that is coupled to the moiety R by a linker including at least one nucleophilic group. Methods of preparing the substrate and use of the substrate are also disclosed.

1 . A method of preparing a substrate comprising immobilized functional molecules, the method comprising the steps of:
 (i) Providing electrophilic compounds coupled to the surface of the substrate;   (ii) Allowing the electrophilic compounds to undergo a nucleophilic substitution reaction to provide a nucleophilic group thereon and thereby increase the nucleophilicity of the substrate surface;   (iii) Allowing the nucleophilic group to undergo a nucleophilic substitution reaction with another electrophilic compound to provide an electrophilic group on the substrate surface and thereby increase the electrophilicity of the substrate;   each electrophilic compound from step (iii) being coupled to a functional molecule,   wherein the functional molecule is selected from a group consisting of an affinity ligand, a chelator, a catalyst, an ion exchanger, a dye and an indicator.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate further comprising a coating disposed on said substrate, the coating comprising a substantially homogenous mixture of stabilizing additives selected to stabilize said functional molecule, wherein the stabilizing additives are selected from the group consisting of a sugar, an organic acid, an amino acid, an a sugar acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the functional molecule is chiral 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the functional molecule is a biomolecule