Abstract: A photoactivatable reagent useful as a chain transfer reagent for providing a semitelechelic polymer having one or more terminal photoactivatable groups. The reagent provides one or more photoactivatable groups and one or more sulfhydryl (or other chain transfer) groups, the photoactivatable and chain transfer groups optionally being joined together by a spacer group. The reagent can be used to prepare a polymer by serving to initiate the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The reagent itself becomes an integral part of the resultant polymer, thereby providing the polymer with a terminal photoactivatable nature. The method provides a number of benefits, including the ability to provide homogeneous photoactivatable polymer compositions, e.g., in terms of the uniform location of the photogroup(s) on the terminal portion of each polymer molecule and the ability to build a desired nonpolar quality, and in turn improved surfactancy, into otherwise polar polymers.

Abstract: Method and reagent composition for covalent attachment of target molecules, such as nucleic acids, onto the surface of a substrate. The reagent composition includes groups capable of attracting the target molecule as well as groups capable of covalently binding to the target molecule, once attracted. Optionally, the composition can contain photoreactive groups for use in attaching the reagent composition to the surface.