| abstract |
Compounds having the structure: W = Sq - A where A has the formula: -NR1R2, where R?1 and R2¿ are the same or different and each is H or C¿1?-C20 hydrocarbon or a group -L-G, or one of R?1 and R2 is -OR5 or -NR6R7¿ or -COR?7 or -NR6 COR7¿ or -N =R?8 or R1 and R2¿ together form a single ring or fused ring system, saturated or unsaturated and unsubstituted or substituted, or an azacrown or a metal-binding group, Sq represents formula (A) or formula (B) where m is 1, 2 or 3, W represents a wing moiety having structure (C), L' is a linker of 0-3 moieties selected from carbon atoms and arylene groups, the dotted line represents a single ring or fused ring system, aromatic or heterocyclic, unsubstituted or substituted, containing or joined to a tertiary or quaternary N atom, and having unsaturation co-ordinated with that of L' = Sq, each of R?5, R6, R7 and R8¿ is H or C¿1?-C20 hydrocarbon or a group -L-G, R?9¿ is a negative charge or a group -L-G, L is a linker chain of 0 to 30 moieties, branched or unbranched which optionally contains one or more arylene groups, or O or N or N+ or S or S+ or P or P+ or Se atoms, and G is a functional or a reactive group by means of which the compound may be covalently linked to a biomolecule, or a group which enhances or reduces water solubility or provides electron donating or withdrawing properties to modify the spectral characteristics of the compound, and homo-dimers and -oligomers and hetero-dimers and -oligomers of the compounds. |