Fluorescent chromophores nicknamed BOPHY are provided. The chromophores may be readily synthesized in two steps from readily available reagents via the coupling of a pyrrole aldehyde or ketone with hydrazine, followed by reaction with BF.sub.3. The resultant symmetric and dimeric tetracycle is comprised of two BF.sub.2 units in six-member chelate rings, appended by pyrrole units on the periphery. The quantum yield of fluorescence for the unmodified compound and the tetramethyl variant are near unity, with values 95 and 92% respectively in CH.sub.2Cl.sub.2.

An organic dye corresponding to one of the following structures (I) or (II): eD-pi-conjugated chromophore-L-A (I), or A-L-pi-conjugated chromophore-eD (II), where eD represents an electron donor segment, L represents a covalent bond or a spacer segment and in particular a pi-conjugated spacer segment, A represents an electron acceptor segment capable of forming a covalent bond with a semiconductor, in which the pi-conjugated chromophore comprises at least one unit of formula (III): ##STR00001##
in which the radicals R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent an optionally substituted aryl group; the radicals R3 to R8, which are identical or different, represent a hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group; and X1 and X2, which are identical or different, are chosen from S, Se and O.

The present invention is directed, in certain embodiments, to polymerizable near-IR dyes and polymers comprising said dyes as monomeric residues. In other embodiments, the present invention also relates to methods for the preparation of polymerizable near-IR dyes, and to the use of polymerizable near-IR dyes in the preparation of fluorescent polymers.

A method of quenching excited state energy from a photodegradable pigment that has been excited by absorption of light having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 290-800 nm, comprising reacting a pigment with a conjugated fused tricyclic compound having electron withdrawing groups of Formula (II) or a salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of O, S, CO, CS, ##STR00002## B.sup.1, B.sup.2, D.sup.1 and D.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, CC13, NR33+, NO2, CN, C(O)R4, C(O)OR, SO2R5, aryl, and CCHR6; each m independently is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; a is 0 or 1; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of LI, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and aryl; each R.sup.3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl; each R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; each R.sup.5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, OH, NH.sub.2, and Cl; and each R.sup.6 is-independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl.

The present invention relates to novel methine dyes, methods for the preparation thereof and use thereof for dyeing plastics, especially polyamides, so as to obtain yellow to orange colourings with improved light fastness and improved thermal stability.

A method for organ imaging, comprising: administering to a subject a diagnostic effective amount of 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-phenoxycyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate or 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-(4-sulfonatophenoxy)cyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate. In one embodiment, the organ includes one or more of kidney, bladder, liver, gall bladder, spleen, intestine, heart, lungs and muscle.

A composition comprising: a polymorphic form of 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-phenoxycyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-ulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol- 1- ium-5-sulfonate or 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-(4-sulfonatophenoxy)cyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate and an acceptable excipient.

A method for organ imaging, comprising: administering to a subject a diagnostic effective amount of 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-phenoxycyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate or 2-((E)-2-((E)-3-(2-((E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-sulfonato-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)indolin-2-ylidene)ethylidene)-2-(4-sulfonatophenoxy)cyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(4-sulfonatobutyl)-3H-indol-1-ium-5-sulfonate. In one embodiment, the organ includes one or more of kidney, bladder, liver, gall bladder, spleen, intestine, heart, lungs and muscle.

An object of this invention is to provide a streptavidin mutant reduced in affinity to the naturally-occurring biotin, and to provide a modified biotin which shows a high affinity to such streptavidin mutant reduced in affinity to the naturally-occurring biotin. This invention can provide a compound composed of a dimer of modified biotin, a streptavidin mutant, angsd usage of them.

Glucose-sensing luminescent dyes, polymers, and sensors are provided. Additionally, systems including the sensors and methods of using these sensors and systems are provided.