Well, for what it's worth, we used HBTU, DCC, DCI, BOP, PyBOP, PyBrOP and
OPfp esters over a period of maybe 10-12 yrs. total with DCC being the only
reagent to cause any allergy problems (a rash) in any of the half dozen
workers who cycled through the lab over that period.
Were we lucky? Well, gloves were mandatory for weighing and handling,
balance in the fume hood when possible (otherwise face mask), and any
spills (solid or liquid) cleaned up immediately and the spill area
decontaminated.
It's sometimes easy to forget that many of the chemicals we handle in
peptide synthesis are toxic - remember, we're just a giant bag of peptides,
ready to be cross-linked (a jaundiced chemist's view of the human race!),
so we should expect problems with these reagents.
I'm not suggesting anyone who has had problems is sloppy - lord knows it
doesn't take much to cause problems with some people, and we're still
learning a lot about the immune system and how allergies develope.
Take care with those chemicals folks...
Roger
Roger Murphy, Ph.D.
Biological Production Facility
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre
Studley Road,
Heidelberg, Vic. 3084
Australia.
Tel 61-3-94965463
Fax 61-3-94965436
Email murphy_r@licre.ludwig.edu.au