Squaraine dyes

Abstract

Squaraine dyes and compositions of matter containing such dyes are disclosed. The squaraine dyes have an absorption maximum greater than 600 nanometers and are particulary useful in conjunction with a helium/neon (He/Ne) laser. Some of the squaraine dyes are hydrophilic and are therefore water soluble or water compatible and others of the squaraine dyes are lipophilic.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to squaraine dyes and compositions of matter containing such squaraine dyes. Squaraine dyes have a structural element of cyclobutenolate, generally being a condensation product of squaric acid (dihydroxycyclobutenedione) and an active compound such as a pyrrole or an aniline. Squaraine dyes have been found to have a number of uses based on their unique properties. One such use involves layered photo responsive imaging devices. Such devices are responsive to visible light and infrared illumination needed for laser printing.

Many of the known squaraine dyes are fluorescent compounds absorbing light in the wavelength region of from about 400 to about 1000 nanometers. Consequently, another use that has been proposed for squaraine dyes is in the area of assays. Fluorescent compounds have achieved wide application in assays because of their ability to emit light upon excitation with energy within certain energy ranges. By virtue of this ability, fluorescers have found employment as labels in chemical or biological processes. Various compounds can be conjugated to fluorescent compounds, the conjugate subjected to some type of partitioning, and the fate of the conjugate determined by irradiating the sample with light and detecting the zone in which the conjugate exists. Fluorescent labels find use in immunoassays, involving specific binding pairs, such as ligands and receptors, for example, antigens and antibodies. For such use, the fluorescent compounds preferably are soluble in an aqueous medium or at least water compatible.

Another use of fluorescent compounds is to incorporate such compound into a cell wall or a liposome. The cell or the liposome with the fluorescent compound incorporated therein can also be employed in assays. For example, dyes incorporated into cell membranes are useful in the area of blood typing where a change in fluorescence as a result of agglutination of cells is determined. Liposomes containing fluorescent dyes also find use in the assay area, particularly in immunoassays. For this purpose it is desirable that the fluorescent dyes be lipophilic.

Laser beams find use in the assay area as means for irradiating a fluorescent compound. In the field of assays it is important to avoid contributions to a signal produced in relation to the amount of analyte, which contributions result from other than the analyte. For example, serum or plasma from a patient is often used to conduct the assay. Serum is itself fluorescent. The materials that cause fluorescent in serum or plasma normally absorb light at a wavelength below 600 nanometers. Therefore, it is desirable to employ fluorescent dyes in fluorescent assays that have an absorption maximum greater than 600 nanometers. It is also desirable to employ a laser beam to provide the source of energy for activation of the fluorescent dye. One such laser is the helium/neon laser which emits light at 633 nanometers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various squarate dyes are discussed by Sprenger, et at., Angew. Chem., 80, 541 (1968); Sprenger, et al., Angew. Chem., 79, 581, 1967; Sprenger, et al., Angew. Chem. Internat. Edit., 5:894, 1966; and Maaks, et al., ibid., 5:888, 1966.

Novel unsymmetrical squaraine systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,621. A process for the preparation of squaraine compositions in the presence of an amine component is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,220. A process for preparation of squaraine compositions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,592. A process for preparation of squaraine compositions from half esters of squaric acid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,219. Processes for the preparation of squaraine compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,218. A process for the recovery of high purity squaric acid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,980. Amine derivatives of squaric acid are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,123,270, 4,353,971, 3,838,095, and 3,824,099.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns novel compounds that are squaraine dyes and novel compositions containing such dyes. The novel squaraine dyes of the invention have an absorption maximum greater than 600 nanometers. Some of the squaraine dyes are hydrophilic and therefore water compatible or water soluble. Other squaraine dyes of the invention are lipophilic.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Generally, the novel squaraine dyes of the invention have the following formula. ##STR1## wherein:

D is independently selected from the group consisting of: ##STR2##

Y is independently selected from the group consisting of: ##STR3##

Z in D and Z in Y are independently selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and selenium;

s is 2 when Z is carbon, 1 when Z is nitrogen, and 0 when Z is oxygen, sulfur, or selenium;

R is independently hydrogen or a substituent having from 1 to 30 atoms other than hydrogen, which atoms are selected from the group consisting of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, halogen or atomic number 9 to 53, boron with the proviso that, where D and Y are the same and all but one R group is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), the remaining R group has at least one heteroatom such as, for example, oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur, or is a chain of a least five carbon atoms which may or may not have such heteroatom; R may be taken together with one or more other R groups to form one or more rings, usually five or six membered rings; R may contain one or more groups which are hydroxy, carboxy, including esters and amides thereof, sulfonic acid, amine including primary, secondary, and tertiary amine, aryl including phenyl, carbamate, succinimidyl and the like.

Preferred compounds of the present invention have the following formula: ##STR4## wherein:

R.sub.1 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms);

R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms),

(b) alkyl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably 10 to 16 carbon atoms, including cycloalkyl, and ##STR5## wherein

R.sub.16 is hydroxyl, or

lower alkoxy (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or

--NH.sub.2 NH.sub.2 and salts thereof, or

--NH(CH.sub.2).sub.c NH.sub.2 and salts thereof, c is 1 to 5, or ##STR6## d is 1 to 5, or ##STR7## b is 1 to 5, or

--NH(CH.sub.2).sub.t --S--S--CH.sub.3

wherein t is 1 to 5, or ##STR8## wherein R.sub.29 is ##STR9## wherein R.sub.30 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or ##STR10## wherein k is 1 to 5, or lower alkoxy (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or ##STR11## and salts thereof, or dioleoylphosphotidylethanolamine, or --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n NHR.sub.17 wherein R.sub.17 is ##STR12## wherein R.sub.18 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms); --(CH.sub.2).sub.r NH.sub.2 wherein r is 1 to 5; hydrogen including acid salts thereof; ##STR13## and n is 1 to 5, preferably 2 to 3, or --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.p --R.sub.19 wherein R.sub.19 is ##STR14## wherein q is 1 to 5; --NH.sub.2 ; phenyl, amino substituted phenyl; and p is 1 to 15, preferably 2 to 12, and

R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, lower alkoxyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), alkoxyl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, ##STR15## wherein R.sub.20 is hydrogen or lower alkoxyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms); with the proviso that only one of R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms) when R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are both hydroxyl or both hydrogen; and ##STR16## wherein R.sub.9 is hydrogen, lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms) of --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.w SO.sub.3 H wherein w is 1 to 5, preferably 2 to 3; and ##STR17## wherein

Z is independently ##STR18## or S;

R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14, and R.sub.15 are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms) or R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14, R.sub.15 are taken together to form ##STR19##

R.sub.10 and R.sub.11 are independently selected from the group consisting of:

hydrogen,

lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms),

alkyl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, including cycloalkyl, ##STR20##

wherein z is 0 to 5, ##STR21##

wherein R.sub.21 is hydrogen, or lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms) and v is 0 to 5, and ##STR22## and

.beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2 are independently hydrogen, halogen (chlorine, bromine, fluorine), or lower alkoxy (1 to 4 carbon atoms), with the proviso that only one of .beta..sub.1 or .beta..sub.2 is hydrogen or halogen when R.sub.10 and R.sub.11 are both hydrogen or lower alkyl of 1 or 2 carbon atoms; and ##STR23## wherein:

R.sub.22, R.sub.23, and R.sub.25 are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or alkyl of from 5 to 20, preferably 10 to 20, carbon atoms, and

R.sub.24, R.sub.26, R.sub.27, and R.sub.28 are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), alkyl of from 5 to 20, preferably 10 to 16, carbon atoms, hydroxyl, lower alkoxyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or alkoxyl of from 5 to 20, preferably 10 to 16, carbon atoms.

Particularly preferred compounds of the present invention have the following formulas: ##STR24## wherein:

(a) R'.sub.1, R'.sub.2, R'.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 are all

(i) --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3,

(ii) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, ##STR25##

(b) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.4 are both --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 and R'.sub.2 and R'.sub.3 are both

(i') --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.4 CH.sub.3, ##STR26##

(c) R'.sub.1, R'.sub.2, and R'.sub.3 are all --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 and R'.sub.4 is ##STR27##

(d) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH(CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR28##

(e) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR29##

(f) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR30## or

(g) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR31## and ##STR32## wherein R".sub.1, R".sub.2, R".sub.3 and R".sub.4 are all --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3 ; and ##STR33## wherein:

(a) R".sub.7 and R".sub.8 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3 ;

(b) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R".sub.8 is --CH.sub.3 ;

(c) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R.sub.8 is ##STR34## or

(d) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R".sub.8 is ##STR35## and ##STR36## wherein:

(a) R.sub.10 and R.sub.11 are both:

(i) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3,

(ii) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.4 CH.sub.3,

(iii) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.5 CH.sub.3,

(iv) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.6 CH.sub.3,

(v) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.10 CH.sub.3,

(iv) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, ##STR37## wherein:

(a) R'".sub.10 and R'".sub.11 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3 and .beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2 are hydrogen; or

(b) R'".sub.10 and R'".sub.11 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3 and .beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2 are hydrogen; or

(c) R'".sub.10 and R'".sub.11 are --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 and .beta..sub.1 and .beta..sub.2 are --OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ; and ##STR38## wherein R'.sub.9 is hydrogen or (b) --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 SO.sub.3 H

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that those compounds mentioned above which have a polar or polar groups such as hydroxyl, amine, carboxy, sulfonic acid and the like will be hydrophilic or at least water compatible. Furthermore, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that those compounds mentioned above that lack such polar groups will tend to be lipophilic in character.

The compounds of the present invention can be prepared by a reaction sequence, some or all of the individual steps of which are separately known in the art. Some of the squaraine dyes of the present invention can be made according to procedures similar to those described by Sprenger et al., Angew. Chem., 80, 541 (1968); Springer et al., Angew. Chem., 79, 581 (1967); Sprenger et al., Angew. Chem., Internat. Edit., 5, 894 (1966); and Maaks et al., Angew. Chem. Internat. Edit., 5, 888 (1966). In general, squaric acid (dihydroxycyclobutenedione) is condensed with an active compound such as a pyrrole or an aniline. The condensation is conducted under conditions for removing water from the reaction mixture. For example, the condensation can be carried out under reflux in an alkanol/benzene solvent mixture. The resulting product can be collected and purified by, for example, recrystallization, distillation, chromatography, or the like. The group or functionality imparting hydrophilicity or lipophilicity to a particular compound of the invention can be part of an initial reactant for the condensation or it can be introduced after the condensation by conventional techniques.

The squaraine dyes of the invention can be conjugated to specific binding pair (sbp) members such as antigens and antibodies by techniques that are known in the art. Such conjugation can be the result of direct bond formation between the squaraine dye and the sbp member. On the other hand, a linking group as described above can be introduced into the squaraine dye or the sbp member for attachment to the other component. A functionality for attachment such as carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, thio, amino, aldehydic, amido, activated ethylenes such as maleimide, sulfonic acids, and the like can be introduced into the squarate dye or the sbp member if such functionality is not originally present in the dye or the sbp member. Methods of conjugation involving sbp members are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,837, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Some of the compounds of the invention have properties that are very desirable for their use in assays. The compounds have a high extinction coefficient, a high quantum efficiency, approaching one, chemical stability, and satisfactory Stokes shift. Furthermore, where the compounds are to be used in the presence of serum or other composition, which is in itself fluorescent, the compounds absorb energy in a substantially different range from that absorbed by the other compounds in the medium. As mentioned above, the present compounds have an absorption maximum greater than 600 nanometers.

Some of the compounds of the invention are useful because of their lipophilic character. For example, lilophilic squaraine dyes of the invention may be incorporated into a cell and thereby cause the cell to become fluorescent. Because of their lipophilic character some of the squaraine dyes may be employed in the formation of liposomes wherein the lipophilic material is incorporated into the liposome.

Generally the molar extinction coefficient for the novel squaraine dyes at the wavelength of the exciting light is greater than 1,000 and often greater than 10,000 per mole per centimeter. The novel squaraine dyes have a high quantum yield, normally greater than 0.05 and often greater then 0.03.

EXAMPLES

The invention is further demonstrated by the following illustrative examples.

EXAMPLE 1

PREPARATION OF XIII

Twenty-five (25) ml of 50% n-butanol in benzene was dried by azeotropic distillation for thirty minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere. One mmol (165 mg) of N,N-diethyl-3-aminophenol, 1 mmol (114 mg) of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione, and 1 mmol (315 mg) of N-ethyl-2,3,3-trimethylindolenium iodide were added and the reaction was refluxed under nitrogen for three hours with azeotropic removal of water. The reaction rapidly turned from a golden yellow color to green, then to deep blue. At the end of the reaction all solvents were evaporated off and the crude blue product was chromatographed on silica gel 60, using a gradient of methanol in chloroform to effect separation. 24 mg (6%) yield) of pure blue product was obtained (.lambda. max (DMSO):642nm).

EXAMPLE 2

PREPARATION OF VI(a)(iv)

1,3-bis[4-N,N-dicarboxymethylamino)-2hydroxyphenyl]-2,4-dihydroxycyclobuteneliydium dihydroxide, bis (inner salt) tetra tert-butyl ester.

Twenty-five (25) ml of 50% n-butanol in benzene was dried by azeotropic distillation for thirty minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere; 1.18 mmol (400 mg) of 3-dicarboxymethylaminophenol di-tert-butyl ester and 0.59 mmol (68 mg) of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione were added. The reaction mixture was refluxed under nitrogen for five hours with azeotropic removal of water. The reaction rapidly turned from a golden yellow color to light green, then to an increasingly deeper blue-green. The product gradually precipitated from solution. After the reaction mixture cooled to room temperature, the deep blue-green solid product was filtered off and dried in vacuo. The reaction solvent was evaporated off and the remainder of the product was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel 60 using CHCl.sub.3 as a developing solvent. A total of 303 mg (68% yield) or pure compound was obtained (.lambda. max = 642 nm).

EXAMPLE 3

PREPARATION OF VI(a)(v)

Sixty-six (66).mu. mol (50 mg) of compound VI(a)(iv) was dissolved in 10 ml of dry methylene chloride; 2 ml of dry trifluoroacetic acid was added. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 2.5 hours. The product precipitated out of solution and was filtered off and dried in vacuo. 32 mg (91% yield) of product was obtained, pure by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatograph (.lambda. max=634 nm in methanol).

EXAMPLE 4

PREPARATION OF VIII(b), VIII(c) and VIII(d)

1-[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxyphenyl]-3-[4-(diethylamino)-2-alkoxyphenyl]-2,4 -dihydroxycy dihydroxide, bis (inner salt)

These compounds were all prepared by the same method:

0.1 mmol (41 mg) of 1,3-bis[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxyphenyl]-2,4-dihydroxycyclobutenediylium dihydroxide, bis(inner salt) (DEAS) was reacted with 0.4 mmol of the appropriate alkyl halide (methyl iodide, t-butylbromoacetate, or bromoacetic acid) in the presence of 0.2 mmol of potassium tert-butoxide in 5 ml of dry dimethylformamide at room temperature under nitrogen for 15 hours. The reaction was worked up by pouring the deep blue DMF solution into 10 ml of water, extracting with 2.times.20 ml of ethyl acetate, washing the ethyl acetate phases with 1.times.20 ml of saturated brine, and combining and drying the organic phases over sodium sulfate. Following preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel GF, using 10% methanol in chloroform as developing solvent, the desired product was obtained pure. Compound VIII (b) was obtained in 13% yield (.lambda. max=652nm). Compound VIII (c) was obtained in 24% yield. Compound VIII (d) was obtained in 25% yield (.lambda. max=647nm).

EXAMPLE 5

PREPARATION OF IX(a)(xiv)

Twenty-five (25) ml of 50% n-butanol-toluene was dried by azeotropic distillation under a nitrogen atmosphere and 1 mmol (252 mg) of chloroindoline [prepared by the reaction of 2,3,3-trimethylindolenine with epichlorohydrin, neat, 100.degree. C.] and 0.5 mmol (57 mg) of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione were added. The reaction mixture was heated at reflux under nitrogen for two hours with azeotropic removal of water. The reaction rapidly turned from golden color to green to deep blue. The product crystallized out of the hot solution. After allowing the reaction to cool to room temperature, the pure product was filtered off; 152 mg (52% yield) of a pure green-blue solid was obtained. (.lambda. max (DMSO):646 nm)

EXAMPLE 6

PREPARATION OF IX(a)(xv)

Twenty (20) ml of 50% n-butanol in benzene was dried by azeotropic distillation for thirty minutes under nitrogen and 0.35 mmol (40 mg) of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione and 0.70 mmol (292 mg) of the indoline disulfide [prepared by the reaction of the chloroindoline of Example 5 with dithioerythritol according to standard prodecures] were added. The reaction mixture was refluxed under nitrogen for two hours under nitrogen with azeotropic removal of water. The reaction rapidly turned from a yellow color to deep green, and then gradually to deep blue. An additional 0.1 mmol of 3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione was added after the first hour. The reaction was evaporated to dryness in vacuo, then purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel GF, using 5% methanol in chloroform as a developing solvent. The product was chromatographed a second time using 10% methanol in chloroform as developing solvent. Following extraction of the product from silica gel with chloroform and methanol and evaporation of solvents, 216 mg (68% yield) of pure product was obtained as a blue crystalline solid with a reddish sheen (.lambda. max (aq. DMSO):641 nm, .epsilon. 221,000).

EXAMPLE 7

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(ii)

1-[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxyphenyl]-3-[4-N-ethylcarboxymethylamino)-2-hydroxyphenyl]-2,4-dih dihydroxide, bis (inner salt) [VI(c)(ii)] was prepared by refluxing with azeotropic water removal equimolar amounts of 3-diethylamino phenol, squaric acid, and N-ethyl-N-3-hydroxyphenyl glycine methyl ester prepared as in Example 6 in 2:1 (v/v) n-butanol: benzene followed by isolation of the monomethylester-dye [VI(c)(i)] by silical gel chromatography. The deep blue methyl ester was hydrolyzed with NaOH to give DECAS [VI(c)(ii)] after acidification.

The NHS (N-hydroxysuccinimide) ester of DECAS [VI(c)(iii)] was generated by addition of 1.3 mg of EDAC (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride to a solution of 3.0 mg of DECAS and 0.99 mg of NHS in 120 .mu.l of freshly distilled (CaH.sub.2) DMF (dimethylformamide) of 0.degree.. Tlc (silica, 90:10 v/v chloroform: methanol) indicated the presence of the NHS ester of DECAS and disappearance of starting material after 1 hr.

EXAMPLE 8

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(xiii)

to 2.78 mg of acid VI(c)(ii) from Example 7 in 120 .mu.l of dry dimethylformamide was added 1.51 mg of sulfo-NHS (Pierce) followed by 1.27 mg of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride. The stoppered reaction was stirred by means of a magnetic stir bar. Thin layer chromatography (silica, 90:10 chloroform: methanol vol/vol) showed the gradual disappearance of the blue spot corresponding to VI(c)(ii) and the appearance of a new blue spot (R.sub.f =0.2). After 4 hr reaction was judged to be complete. The sulfo-NHS ester VI(c)(iii) was used in solution without further isolation.

EXAMPLE 9

PREPARATION OF XII(c)

5-ethoxy-2-methylbenzthiazole was alkylated in toluene at 65.degree. with ethyl iodide. The resulting salt was condensed with squaric acid at reflux in toluene/butanol with azeotropic removal of H.sub.2 O to give a blue solution containing XII(c). Purification on silica tlc (thin layer chromatography) eluted with 95:5 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH gave XII(c) as a blue solid. Fluorescence in 0.01M sodium phosphate, 0.15M NaCl, 0.005M NaN.sub.3, 0.01M .beta.-cyclodextrin, pH7: .lambda. max/ex=651, .lambda. max/em=664 nm.

EXAMPLE 10

PREPARATION OF X

5-methoxy-2,3,3-trimethylindolenine was prepared by condensation of 4-methoxyaniline and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone in 2:1 xylene:butanol at reflux with ZnCl.sub.2 catalysis. To 240 mg of 5-methoxy-2,3,3-trimethylindolenine in 10 ml of toluene and 30 ml of n-butanol was added 70 mg of squaric acid. The mixture was refluxed 6 hr with azeotropic removal of H.sub.2 O. Concentration of the blue solution gave 220 mg of X as green crystals: MS (EI) 456 (M.sup.+). Fluorescence in DMSO containing 0.001M HCl: .lambda. max/ex=650, .lambda. max/em=664.

EXAMPLE 11

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(x)

Condensation of acid VI(c)(ii) from Example 7 (0.27 mmol) and m-aminophenylboronic acid (0.27 mmol) with excess 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (.gtoreq.0.3 mmol) in dry DMF at 5.degree. over 2 days after silica tlc eluted with 90:10 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH gave 10 mg of VI(c)(x) having a fluorescence emission maximum of 664 nm when excited >600 nm in DMF.

EXAMPLE 12

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(vi)

To 4.8 mg of amino dye VI(c)(iv) in 2 ml of dry THF in a round-bottomed flask containing a magnetic stir bar was added 1.3 mg of ethyl chlorofumarate (prepared by the method of U. Eisner, G. Elvidge, and A. Linstead, J. Chem. Soc., 1501 (1951)). Then 1.4 .mu.l of triethylamine was added with stirring. Thin layer chromatography (silica, 90:10 toluene:methanol v/v) showed the gradual development of a new blue spot and decrease of starting VI(c)(iv). After overnight stirring, the reaction mixture was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography (tlc) (silica, 90:10 toluene:methanol). The major moving blue band was scraped from the plate and eluted from the silica with methanol. Evaporation of the solvent gave 1 mg of blue residue which was a single spot by thin layer chromatography (as above) and identified as VI(c)(vi) by 300 mHz nmr in CDCl.sub.3 with TMS as standard.

EXAMPLE 13

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(iv)

To a solution of 0.27 mmol of VI(c(iii) in 12 ml of dry dimethylformamide (DMF) at 0.degree. was added dropwise 19.5 mg of ethylenediamine in 1 ml of DMF. A green solution resulted. After 1 hr of stirring at 0.degree. the reaction mixture was stripped of DMF under vacuum. The residue was washed with water and centrifuged. The washing and centrifugation was repeated once. The Rf on silica was 0.23 for VI(c)(iii) and 0.68 for VI(c)(iv) when eluted with 90:10 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH (v/v). The crude solid was further purified on preparative tlc eluted with 90:10 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH to give 10 mg of VI (c)(iv).

EXAMPLE 14

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(vii)

Acid VI(c)(ii) from Example 7 (219 mg) was dissolved in dry DMF at 0.degree.. N-hydroxy-succinimide (63 mg) was added followed with stirring by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (115 mg). After 30 min at 0.degree. followed by 23.degree. for 4 hr tlc (silica, 90:10 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH) showed a new blue spot, Rf=0.94 and absence of the blue spot for 34, Rf=0.13. To the presumed NHS ester was added a solution of 74 mg of h.sub.2 NCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 SSCH.sub.3 in DMF at 0.degree.. After overnight stirring 0.degree.-5.degree., tlc (silica, 80:20 ethylacetate:hexane) showed absence of NHS ester. The DMF was removed under vacuum, and the residue was purified by tlc (silica, ethylacetate:hexane 80:20) to give 35 mg of blue solid.

EXAMPLE 15

PREPARATION OF VI(c)(ix)

To a solution of 0.27 mmol of VI(c)(iii) in 12 ml of DMF at 0.degree. was added 31 mg of diethylenetriamine dropwise with stirring. After stirring 1 hr, tlc (silica, 90:10 CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 :CH.sub.3 OH) showed absence of VI(c)(iii) (Rf>0.09) and presence of a non-moving blue spot Rf.sup..about. 0. The DMF was then removed under vacuum and the crude blue solid was purified by tlc (silica CH.sub.3 OH:CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 15:85).

______________________________________EXAMPLE 16Fluorescence Data max maxCompound Solvent .gamma. ex .gamma. em .phi.______________________________________VI(a)(i) DMF 652 666VI(a)(ii) toluene 621 632VI(a)(v) methanol 635 652 0.79 PBS 637 658 0.26 PBS/.beta.CD 653 665 0. PBS/SDS 636 658 0.23VI(b)(i) toluene 632 648 methanol 628 648 PBS/.beta.CD 642 656VI(b)(iv) methanol 632 651 water 632 656VI(b)(vi) methanol 632 65l water 634 659VI(b)(vii) methanol 632 652 water 636 655VI(b)(ix) methanol 632 652 water 632 652VI(b)(xiv) metanol 631 652 water 629 650 PBS/.beta.CD 647 660VII toluene 634 650VI(c)(vii) toluene 638 653 DMF,acid 648 663 PBS/.beta.CD 648 662 PBS/triton 648 661VI(c)(x) DMF 664VI(f) water 636 662 methanol/CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 646 664 PBS/5% cholate 648 665VI(g) CHCl.sub.3 640 655 DMF, acid 648 665 0.86 PBS triton 647 663 0.95 PBS/tween 643 658 methanol 0.82VIII(a) toluene 636 654 CHCl.sub.3 636 654VIII(b) PBS/.beta.CD 652 664 1.0VIII(d) methanol 633 650 0.20 PBS/.beta.CD 648 660 0.25 PBS 639 659 0.02XIV(a) toluene 669 679 DMF 674 690 CHCl.sub.3 660 680 PBS/.beta.CD 676 692 PBS/.gamma.CD 676 692XIV(b) methanol/water 666 672IX(a)(i) methanol 628 639 0.11 DMF 640 656 PBS/SDS 634 644 0.36 red cell 641 651IX(a)(ii) methanol 628 639 0.10 PBS/SDS 633 643 0.36IX(a)(vi) toluene 641 658 ethanol 635 645 methanol 629 640 0.l8 DMF 640 652 PBS/SDS 636 645 0.48IX(a)(xiii) PBS/.beta.CD 630 638 PBS/SDS 634 645 PBS/CTAB 639 646IX(b) PBS/.beta.CD 629 641 PBS/CTAB 638 648X DMSO/acid 683 704 PBS/.beta.CD 650 664XI methanol 650 670 0.1XIII DMSO 642 662 PBS/.beta.CD 647 659 0.28 PBS/SDS 636 653 0.71XII(a) DMF 674 690XII(b) toluene 682 694 0.34XII(c) PBS/.beta.CD 651 664______________________________________

"DMF/acid" means DMF acidified with 5.mu.l/ml of 1N Hcl. "DMSO" means dimethylsulfoxide. "DMSO/acid"" means DMSO acidified with 5 .mu.l/ml of 1N HCl. "PBS" means phosphate buffered saline (10 mM sodium phosphate, 5 mM NaN.sub.3, 0.15 N NaCl, pH7. "PBS/.beta.CD" means PBS containing 0.01M .mu.-cyclodextrin. "PBS/SDS" means PBS containing 10 mg/ml of sodium dodecyl sulfate. "PBS/CTAB" means PBS containing 10 mg/ml of cetyl trimetylammonium bromide. "PBS/.gamma.CD" means PBS containing 0.01M .gamma.-cyclodextrin. "PBS/Triton" means PBS containing 10 mg/ml of Triton-X-100. "PBS/Tween" means PBS containing 10 mg/ml of Tween-20. ".phi." means fluorescence quantum yield. ".lambda..sub.ex.sup.max " means wavelength of maximum excitation in the fluorescence spectrum. ".lambda..sub.em.sup.max " means wavelength of maximum emission in the fluorescense spectrum. Fluorescense spectra were measured on a Perkin Elmer 650-40 Fluorescence Spectrophotometer.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the above embodiments. It will be understood, however, that variation and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A compound of the formula: ##STR39## wherein: R.sub.1 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms);

R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms),

(b) alkyl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and ##STR40## wherein R.sub.16 is hydroxyl, of lower alkoxy (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or --NH.sub.2 NH.sub.2 and salts thereof, or --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.c NH.sub.2 and salts thereof, c is 1 to 5, or ##STR41## d is 1 to 5, or ##STR42## b is 1 to 5, or --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.t --S--S--CH.sub.3 wherein t is 1 to 5, or ##STR43## wherein R.sub.29 is ##STR44## wherein R.sub.30 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or ##STR45## wherein k is 1 to 5, or lower alkoxy (1 to 4 carbon atoms), or ##STR46## and salts thereof, or dioleoylphosphotidylethanolamine, or --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n NHR.sub.17 wherein R.sub.17 is ##STR47## wherein R.sub.18 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms); --(CH.sub.2).sub.r NH.sub.2 wherein r is 1 to 5; hydrogen including acid salts thereof; ##STR48## and n is 1 to 5, preferably 2 to 3, --NH(CH.sub.2).sub.p--R.sub.19 wherein R.sub.19 is ##STR49## wherein q is 1 to 5; --NH.sub.2 ; phenyl, amino substituted phenyl; and p is 1 to 15, preferably 2 to 12, and

R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, lower alkoxyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms), alkoxyl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, ##STR50## wherein R.sub.20 is hydrogen or lower alkoxyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms); with the proviso that only one of R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 is lower alkyl (1 to 4 carbon atoms) when R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are both hydroxyl or both hydrogen.

2. A compound of the formula: ##STR51## wherein: (a) R'.sub.1, R'.sub.2, R'.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 are all

(i) --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3,

(ii) --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3,

(iii) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, ##STR52## (b) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.4 are both --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 and R'.sub.2 and R'.sub.3 are both --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.4 CH.sub.3 ; ##STR53## (c) R'.sub.1, R'.sub.2, and R'.sub.3 are all --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 and R'.sub.4 is: ##STR54## (d) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH(CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR55## or (e) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR56## or (f) R'.sub.1 and R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR57## or (g) R'.sub.1 R'.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3, R'.sub.3 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, and R'.sub.4 is ##STR58##

3. A compound of the formula: ##STR59## wherein R".sub.1, R".sub.2, R".sub.3 and R".sub.4 are all --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3.

4. A compound of the formula: ##STR60## wherein: (a) R".sub.7 and R".sub.8 are --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.14 CH.sub.3 ;

(b) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R".sub.8 is --CH.sub.3 ;

(c) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R.sub.8 is ##STR61## (d) R".sub.7 is hydrogen and R".sub.8 is ##STR62##