Patent ID: 7696361

Claim:
A method of selectively forming non-covalent complexes and initiating intermolecular reactions with amine group-containing compounds, comprising reacting the amine group-containing compound with a second compound comprising: (1) at least one crown ether group containing four or more oxygen atoms; and (2) a moiety selected from acidic groups, transition metal binding groups and diazo groups, wherein the acidic group is a benzoic acid group, and wherein the transition metal binding group is a polyamine selected from ethylenediamine, propylenediamine, butanediamine, hexamethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, dipropylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetramethylethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylpropylenediamine, N,N,N′-trimethylethylenediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine, hexamethylenetetramine, diazabicyclononane, sparteine, phenantroline, 2,2′-bipyridine and neocuproine and further wherein the amine-group containing compound is an amino acid, a peptide, or a protein.