Photoactivatable Silanes: Synthesis and Uses in Biopolymer Array Fabrication on Glass Substrates

Abstract

We wish to report a fast and easy way to build hydrophobic layers and hydrophilic functional polymer layers thereafter onto glass surfaces. A benzophenone-based silane was synthesized and used to prepare stable, hydrophobic, photo-activatable coatings on glass supports. Hydrophilic polymers were then applied to the substrate, and photochemically cross-linked to the underlying silane. The resulting substrates had not only increased functional density due to plurality of functional groups on the polymer, but also enhanced stability against solvents and displacement reagents (such as water and phosphate salts). The substrates were suitable for fabricating oligonucleotide probe arrays either by in situ synthesis or immobilization methods.