Funtan, S., et al. Biomimetics 2019,4 (1), 24,DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics4010024
With the class of shock-absorbing proteins, nature created some of the most robust materials combining both mechanical strength and elasticity. Here, we report on the synthesis of two different latent mechanophoric copper(I) bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes bearing either two carboxyl groups or two amino groups which allow conjugation reactions with either the N- or the C-terminus of amino acids or peptides. Mechanochemical activation by ultrasound showed conversions in the copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide “click” reaction (CuAAC) up to 9.9% proving the potential application for the time and spatial controlled CuAAC.