m-dPEG®₄-acid

m-dPEG®4-acid, product number 10234, is a short, methyl-capped, discrete chain length polyethylene glycol (dPEG®) spacer. The reactive end of the molecule terminates in a propionic acid group. Also, this product is the precursor to PN10211, m-dPEG®4-NHS ester. In addition, m-dPEG®4-acid is part of a broad line of methyl-terminated dPEG® spacers. The dPEG® spacer lengths range from 2 to 49 ethylene glycol units.



The terminal propionic acid moiety can be coupled directly to free amines using EDC or another carbodiimide. Alternatively, the reactive end can be functionalized with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS); 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenol (TFP); 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorophenol (PFP); or some other activating agent for reaction with amines.

m-dPEG®4-acid can modify amine-functionalized surfaces (carbon nanotubes, other nanoparticles, quantum dots, etc.) or free amines on biomolecules. When used to coat surfaces or modify biomolecules, m-dPEG®4-acid reduces, and often eliminates, non-specific binding and increases hydrophilicity. Please note that modification of surface amines on biomolecules with this uncharged, methyl-capped dPEG® spacer may alter the overall charge of the resulting conjugates.

In published scientific reports, m-dPEG®4-acid has been used in the following applications:

surface modification of polyelectrolyte multilayers;
thin films used for the detection of viable pathogenic microorganisms; and,
peptide modification.

Quanta BioDesign, Ltd., makes and sells single molecular weight PEG linkers and spacers with discrete chain lengths under the dPEG® trade name. Our products are distinctly different from traditional PEG products in that they are not disperse polymers. However, they confer all of the benefits of traditional PEG products.

Please contact us at for specific academic pricing.