Tris(3-hydroxypropyl)phosphine (THPP): A mild, air-stable reagent for the rapid, reductive cleavage of small-molecule disulfides

Tris(3-hydroxypropyl)phosphine (THPP) is demonstrated to be a versatile, water-soluble and air-stable reducing agent, allowing for the rapid, irreversible reductive cleavage of disulfide bonds in both aqueous and buffered aqueous-organic media. The reagent shows exceptional stability at biological pH under which condition it permits the rapid reduction of a wide range of differentially functionalized small-molecule disulfides.