Investigating the Proteome Reactivity and Selectivity of Aryl Halides

Protein-reactive electrophiles are critical to chemical proteomic applications including activity-based protein profiling, site-selective protein modification, and covalent inhibitor development. Here, we explore the protein reactivity of a panel of aryl halides that function through a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) mechanism. We show that the reactivity of these electrophiles can be finely tuned by varying the substituents on the aryl ring. We identify p-chloro- and fluoronitrobenzenes and dichlorotriazines as covalent protein modifiers at low micromolar concentrations. Interestingly, investigating the site of labeling of these electrophiles within complex proteomes identified p-chloronitrobenzene as highly cysteine selective, whereas the dichlorotriazine favored reactivity with lysines. These studies illustrate the diverse reactivity and amino-acid selectivity of aryl halides and enable the future application of this class of electrophiles in chemical proteomics.