General Description
EDC is a water-soluble carbodiimide  is a zero-length crosslinking agent used to couple carboxyl groups to primary amines, a crosslinker that activates carboxyl groups for spontaneous reaction with primary amines, enabling peptide immobilization and hapten-carrier protein conjugation. In addition, it reacts with phosphate groups. EDC has been used in peptide synthesis; crosslinking proteins to nucleic acids; and preparation of immunoconjugates as examples. Typically, EDC is utilized in the pH range 4.0-6.0 without buffers. In particular, amine and carboxylate buffers should be avoided.
Molecular formula:   C8H17N3·HCl
Molecular weight:Â Â Â Â 191.70
Spacer arm length:Â Â Â 0 Ã…
CAS Number:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 25952-53-8
Synonyms:           N-Ethyl-N′-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride, EDAC, EDC hydrochloride, EDC, WSC hydrochloride
Solubility:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 100 mg/ml in water
Storage:            -20°C. Protect from moisture. Shipped at ambient temperature.
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Features of EDC:
• Reactive group: Carbodiimide
• Reaction target: activates carboxyl groups to conjugate to amino groups (primary amines)
• Conjugation strategies—react EDC alone with target groups or include NHS/Sulfo-NHS to increase reaction efficiency or to stabilize active intermediate for later
• Neutral linkage—forms neutral amide bonds between carboxyls and amines
• Water-soluble reagent—add directly to reactions in aqueous, physiological buffers
• Soluble reaction byproducts—easily removed by washing with water or dilute acid
• High-purity, crystalline reagent—use to create high-quality, activated derivatives
Applications:
• Conjugate carboxyl and amino groups among peptides and proteins
• Couple haptens to immunogenic carrier proteins
• Create NHS-activated, amine-reactive labeling compounds
• Crosslink proteins to carboxyl coated beads or surfaces
• Activate nanoparticles with amine-reactive Sulfo-NHS esters
• DNA labeling through 5′-phosphate groups