The invention provides a novel class of cyanine dyes that are functionalized with a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species and substituent groups which increase the water-solubility, and optimize the optical properties of the dyes. Also provided are conjugates of the dyes, methods of using the dyes and their conjugates and kits including the dyes and their conjugates.

The invention relates to a family of compounds that comprise fluorescent cyanine dyes. The compounds are near infrared absorbing heptamethine cyanine dyes with a 4,4-disubstituted cyclohexyl ring as part of the polymethine chromophore. The compounds are generally hydrophilic and can be chemically linked to biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and therapeutic small molecules. The compounds can be used for imaging in a variety of medical, biological and diagnostic applications.

Coating with photochromic properties, method for producing said coating and use thereof applicable to optical articles and glazed surfaces. The coating is formed by the combination of the following three elements: (1) a polymeric matrix, which is typically rigid and deposited on the surface of interest; (2) hollow, sealed micro- and/or nanocapsules dispersed within said matrix; and (3) solutions of photochromic compounds (chosen from a group comprising spirooxazine, azobenzenes or chromenes) in a liquid solvent that does not react (with the photochromic compound and with the capsule wall), which are encapsulated inside said micro- or nanocapsules.

Disclosed is a dye-sensitized solar cell which includes a working electrode and a counter electrode facing each other with an electrolyte layer therebetween, the working electrode having a dye-supporting metal oxide electrode composed of a metal oxide layer having a dye supported thereon. The dye contains a cyanine dye, and the electrolyte of the electrolyte layer contains a cobalt-based electrolyte. It is preferred to use at least one cyanine dye represented by general formula (1) as the cyanine dye. An.sup.q? represents a q-valent anion, wherein q represents 1 or 2, and p represents a coefficient for maintaining overall charge neutrality.

To provide an infrared cut filter having a wide view angle and excellent infrared shieldability, a kit for manufacturing the infrared cut filter, and a solid-state imaging device. An infrared cut filter has: a copper-containing transparent layer 1. The copper-containing transparent layer 1 further contains an infrared absorbing agent, or an infrared absorbing agent-containing layer 2 is further provided.

Provided herein are functionalized pegylated cyanine compounds containing a reactive group suitable for labeling a biomolecule or pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof. In one embodiment, the compounds are based on formula I shown below. ##STR00001##
In other embodiments, the compounds can be pegylated at one or more of the following locations R.sup.1, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.9, or L.

The present invention relates to an optical filter containing: an absorption layer containing a near-infrared absorbing dye (A) having a maximum absorption wavelength in dichloromethane being in a wavelength range of 850 to 1,100 nm and a transparent resin; and a reflection layer formed of a dielectric multilayer film, in which the near-infrared absorbing dye (A) satisfies the following Formulae (1) to (4).
ABS.sub.400(A)DCM/ABS.sub.max(A)DCM<0.10(1),
ABS.sub.550(A)DCM/ABS.sub.max(A)DCM<0.04(2),
ABS.sub.400(A)TR/ABS.sub.max(A)TR<0.15(3), and
ABS.sub.550(A)TR/ABS.sub.max(A)TR<0.10(4).

This disclosure provides cyanine dye compounds having linked hydrogen bond-forming groups that can be used for detecting nucleic acids, particularly for fluorescent staining of DNA, in a biological sample. We found that the simultaneous incorporation of at least two hydrogen bond-forming groups (HBGs) into such a nucleic acid stain can provide for crosslinking interactions between the stain and the target nucleic acid, and lead to a significant increase in the detection sensitivity without substantially increasing undesirable cytotoxicity or mutagenicity properties of the dye compounds. The cyanine dye compounds can have a cyanine structure that connects two particular fused heterocycle ring systems, where at least two HBGs are connected to the core structure through linkers. Also provided are nucleic acid complexes including the cyanine dye compounds, and methods of using the compounds to detect nucleic acids in a biological sample.

The present invention relates to the field of optical imaging. More particularly, it relates to compounds of the cyanine family with near-infrared emission characterized by improved physico-chemical and biological properties and to conjugates with biological ligands thereof. The invention also relates to the use of these compounds as optical diagnostic agents in imaging or therapy of solid tumors, to the methods for their preparation and to the compositions comprising them.

The design, synthesis, and functionalization of a conjugate including a tumor-targeting near-infrared (NIR) dye and a therapeutic agent and/or a diagnostic agent. whereby the NIR dye can function to target the therapeutic agent and/or diagnostic agent to tumor cells.