4-aminometyl-3-nitrobenzoic acid--a photocleavable linker for oligonucleotides containing combinatorial libraries.

We detail the design, synthesis, and characterization of an o-nitrobenzyl-based photolabile linker containing amine and carboxyl anchor groups. A model nucleoside monomer modified with an imidazole residue and a precursor unit linked to a heterocyclic base through a photolabile tether is constructed Upon UV irradiation (313- 365 nm), the imidazole containing part of this molecule is released.