Functionalized supports for
polynucleotide synthesis are disclosed. The supports have
linker moieties that are stable to conditions used in
polynucleotide synthesis, but may be cleaved to release synthesized polynucleotides from the support. Methods of making the functionalized supports and methods of using are also disclosed. In particular embodiments of methods of making the functionalized supports, a
solid support, on which an available reactive group is bound, is contacted with a
reagent having the structure (I)Phos-Cgp-Trl-Cgp′Nucl (I)wherein the groups are defined as follows:Phos is a reactive
phosphorus group capable of specifically reacting with an available reactive group on the support,Trl is a triaryl methyl
linker group having three
aryl groups, each bound to a central methyl carbon, at least one of said three
aryl groups having one or more substituents,Cgp is a linking group linking the reactive
phosphorus group and the triaryl methyl
linker group, or is a bond linking the reactive
phosphorus group and the triaryl methyl linker group,Nucl is a
nucleoside moiety, wherein the
nucleoside moiety is optionally part of a
polynucleotide moiety, andCgp′ is a linking group linking the
nucleoside moiety and the triaryl methyl linker group, or is a bond linking the nucleoside moiety and the triaryl methyl linker group.In typical embodiments, the
solid support is contacted with the
reagent having the structure (I) under conditions and for a time sufficient to result in a functionalized support having a nucleoside moiety bound to the
solid support via a triaryl methyl linker group.