Broad range of crosslinkers and related products that now contain the discrete polyethylene glycol (dPEG) based spacers are preferred substitutes to aliphatic methylene chain spacers, X-(CH2)n-Y. Alkyl spacers have serious limitations and drawbacks in comparison to dPEG products. Conventional chain spacers have been widely used for many years for the lack of batter alternative.

With dPEG crosslinking products, you now have a set of tools that not only overcomes the drawbacks of the alkyl liners and spacers but also provides many new creative options for your research work with chain spacers.

dPEG linkers are extremely water soluble and hydrophilic, while the alkyl linkers are neither.  The water solubility and hydrophilicity of dPEGs gives them a very large range of applications.

In contrast the opposite properties in the alkyl spacers have severely limited their actual and potential uses in biological systems.  There are the aliphatic linker containing crosslinkers at the sulfo-NHS esters, which are soluble in water, commercially available. However, when the linkers are attached or crosslinked, the inherent hydrophobicity of the alkyl spacers returns, and all the disadvantages become apparent. The hydrophobic characteristics of the alkyl linkers and spacers are most often manifested through increased aggregation and precipitation in the modified or crosslinked products.

dPEG-containing compounds solve the problem by significantly decreasing and in some cases eliminating aggregation and precipitation. In addition to being water soluble, the dPEG linkers are organic soluble and can be used in organic media when this is desirable.  DPEG likes the normal organics used for conventional linkers such as DMF and DMAC, but also especially likes methylene chloride. 

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