Covalent modification of metal surfaces

1. A method for preparing a covalently modified metal surface, comprising the steps of:

(a) modifying a metal substrate to incorporate thereon a plurality of hydroxyl groups;

(b) providing a compound of formula I:

wherein:

R 1 is synthetic polymer group selected from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), a heterobifunctional PEG, or a branched PEG;

W is —C(═O)OH, —C(═O)X, —P(═O)(OH) 2 , —P(═O)(X) 2 , —P(═O)(R a )OH, —P(═O)(R a )X, —O—S(═O) 2 OH, —S(═O) 2 OH, —Si(R a ) 2 OH, —Si(OR a ) 2 OH, —Si(R a ) 2 X, —Si(R a )(OH) 2 , —Si(R a )X 2 , —Si(OR a ) 2 X, C(═O)H, —N═C═S, —N═C═O, phenol, thiophenol, or an epoxide;

each X is independently Cl, Br, or I; and

each R a is hydrogen, an alkyl group, or an aryl group;

and

(c) coupling the compound of formula I directly to one or more of the hydroxyl groups on the metal surface via the W moiety.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal substrate comprises iron.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal substrate is selected from a stainless steel, a cobalt alloy, a titanium alloy, an iron alloy, steel, stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel, Type 316 stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, cobalt, a cobalt alloy, a cobalt-chromium alloy, stellite alloys, titanium, titanium alloy, or a super-alloy.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed by condensation or dehydration reaction.

5. A method for preparing a covalently modified metal surface, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a metal surface having a plurality of hydroxyl groups;

(b) providing a compound of formula I:

wherein:

R 1 is a synthetic polymer group selected from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), a heterobifunctional PEG, or a branched PEG;

W is —C(═O)OH, —C(═O)X, —P(═O)(OH) 2 , —P(═O)(X) 2 , —P(═O)(R a )OH, —P(═O)(R a )X, —O—S(═O) 2 OH, —S(═O) 2 OH, —Si(R a ) 2 OH, —Si(OR a ) 2 OH, —Si(R a ) 2 X, —Si(R a )(OH) 2 , —Si(R a )X 2 , —Si(OR a ) 2 X, C(═O)H, —N═C═S, —N═C═O, phenol, thiophenol, or an epoxide;

each X is independently Cl, Br, or I; and

each R a is hydrogen, an alkyl group, or an aryl group;

and

(c) coupling the compound of formula I to one or more of the hydroxyl groups on the metal surface via the W moiety.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein R 1 is a group of formula II:

or a salt thereof, wherein:

y is 0-2500;

R 2 is hydrogen, halogen, NO 2 , CN, N 3 , —N═C═O, —C(R)═NN(R) 2 , —P(O)(OR) 2 , —P(O)(X′) 2 , a 9-30 membered crown ether, a mono-protected amine, a di-protected amine, a protected aldehyde, a protected hydroxyl, a protected carboxylic acid, a protected thiol, or an optionally substituted group selected from aliphatic, a 3-8 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, an 8-10 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or a detectable moiety;

each X′ is independently halogen;

each R is independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted aliphatic group;

L 1 is a valence bond or a bivalent, saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched C 1-12 alkylene chain, wherein 0-6 methylene units of L 1 are independently replaced by -Cy-, —O—, —NR—, —S—, —OC(O)—, —C(O)O—, —C(O)—, —SO—, —SO 2 —, —NRSO 2 —, —SO 2 NR—, —NRC(O)—, —C(O)NR—, —OC(O)NR—, or —NRC(O)—, wherein:

each -Cy- is independently an optionally substituted 3-8 membered bivalent, saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an optionally substituted 8-10 membered bivalent saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur; and

L 2 is a valence bond or a bivalent, saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched C 1-12 alkylene chain, wherein 0-6 methylene units of L 2 are independently replaced by -Cy-, —O—, —NR—, —S—, or —C(O)—, wherein:

each -Cy- is independently an optionally substituted 3-8 membered bivalent, saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an optionally substituted 8-10 membered bivalent saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl bicyclic ring having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein R 1 is a group of formula II-d:

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of coupling the azide-terminal end to a suitable group via Click chemistry.

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein R 1 is selected from any of the following groups:

each n is about 200 to about 300, or about 200 to about 250, or about 100 to about 150, or about 400 to about 500; and

each y is about 10 to about 40, or about 40 to about 60, or about 90 to about 150, or about 200 to about 250, or about 300 to about 375, or about 400 to about 500.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the metal substrate comprises iron.

11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the metal substrate is selected from a stainless steel, a cobalt alloy, a titanium alloy, an iron alloy, steel, stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel, Type 316 stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, cobalt, a cobalt alloy, a cobalt-chromium alloy, stellite alloys, titanium, titanium alloy, or a super-alloy.