Dimethyl pimelimidate is a mid-length crosslinking reagent that features imidoester reactive groups at both ends, which are specifically reactive towards primary amines. It is one of three similar imidoester crosslinkers, alongside DMA and DMP. This water-soluble reagent reacts with amines at alkaline pH values (between 8 and 10) to form amidine bonds. Notably, the amidine bonds created retain the net charge character of the protein's primary amine to which they react. These bonds are reversible at high pH values, making dimethyl pimelimidate a valuable tool for studying the quaternary structure of proteins.
