| abstract |
Chromogenic merocyanine enzyme substrate compounds of the general formula: <IMAGE> where Y is an enzymatically-cleavable group such as a radical of a sugar, carboxylic acid, amino acid, peptide, phosphoric acid, or sulfuric acid; A and B represent residues that complete 5- or 6-membered ring systems; R1 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl; R2 and R3, independently, are hydrogen or lower alkyl; m, n, and p, which can be different, are integers from 0 through 3 provided that m+n+p must be at least 2; and X is an appropriate counterion (anion). |