Abstract: This invention relates to derivatives of dipyrrometheneboron difluoride fluorescent dyes that have an absorption maximum at wavelengths longer than about 525 nm, and are chemically reactive with nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and other biologically derived or synthetic chemical materials to form dye-conjugates. The dye-conjugates generally have the structure: ##STR1## wherein at least one of the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7, covalently bonds to a specific binding pair member, and further where at least one of the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7 contains a bathochromic moiety that is heteroaryl or alkenyl. The remaining substituents, which may be the same or different, are hydrogen, halogen, alkyl (containing 1-5 carbon atoms), aryl, arylalkyl, or sulfo.

Abstract: The invention relates to fluorescent dyes that are substituted or unsubstituted derivatives of 1-[isoindolyl]methylene-isoindole that are bound through both isoindole nitrogens to a boron difluoride moiety, forming a fluorescent dibenzopyrrometheneboron difluoride compound ##STR1## whose fluorescence properties are modified by the selection of appropriate chemical substituents.The dibenzopyrrometheneboron difluoride compound is optionally substituted by hydrogen, halogen cyano, sulfo, alkali or ammonium salts of sulfo, carboxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, perfluoroalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, nitro, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, substituted or unsubstituted aryl substituents, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl substituents, or additional substituted or unsubstituted fused benzo rings or substituted or unsubstituted fused heteroaromatic rings.

Abstract: Fluorescent compounds useful in the determination of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) enzyme activity are described. The compounds are "fluorescent derivatives related in structure to chloramphenicol and are acylated in the presence of CAT to produce fluorescent mono- and diacylated products, which are then physically separated from the reaction mixture and quantitated by means of their fluorescence and/or absorbance. Fluorescent molecules conjugated to chloramphenicol include derivatives of fluorescein, rhodamine, coumarin, dimethylaminonaph-thalene sulfonic acid (dansyl), pyrene, anthracene, nitrobenz-oxadiazole (NBD), acridine and dipyrrometheneboron difluoride.

Abstract: This invention relates to improved fluorescent fatty acid analogs derived from dipyrrometheneboron difluoride ("BDY") dyes that absorb light at wavelengths longer than 480 nm. The BDY fluorophore or a derivative thereof is incorporated at various locations along the alkyl portion of the fatty acid ("BDY fatty acid"). The general formula of a BDY fatty acid is as follows: ##STR1## wherein at least one of the substituents R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 is a carboxylic acid terminated alkyl residue containing 5 to 22 carbon atoms. The remaining substituents, singly or in any combination, are: additional alkyl or arylalkyl residues containing 1 to 16 aliphatic carbon atoms, or aryl or heteroaryl residues, or hydrogen. Symmetrically substituted BDY fluorophores are conveniently synthesized from a single pyrrole precursor in a "one-pot" reaction. Alternatively, BDY fatty acids are synthesized from two different pyrrole precursors.

Abstract: This invention relates to derivatives of dipyrrometheneboron difluoride fluorescent dyes that have an absorption maximum at wavelengths longer than about 525 nm, and are chemically reactive with nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and other biologically derived or synthetic chemical materials. The dyes generally have the structure: ##STR1## wherein at least one of the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7, is a reactive functional group, and at least one of the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7 contains a bathochromic moiety. The bathochromic moiety is an unsaturated organic group, preferably heteroaryl or alkenyl. The remaining substituents, which may be the same or different, are hydrogen, halogen, alkyl (containing 1-5 carbon atoms), aryl, arylalkyl, or sulfo. The dyes are used to make novel conjugates with members of specific binding pairs that are ligands or receptors.

Abstract: Fluorescent compounds useful in the determination of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) enzyme activity are described. The compounds are fluorescent derivatives related in structure to chloramphenicol comprising a base, ##STR1## substituted at one to five aromatic ring positions by substituents, which may be the same or different, that are alkyl-, hydroxy-, alkoxy-, aryl-, halo-, nitro-, amino-, alkylamido-, or arylamido-; and a fluorescent moiety linked to the base at --NH-- by an aliphatic chain of 1-12 atoms other than hydrogen, where such atoms are carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or combinations thereof. The substrate compounds are acylated in the presence of CAT to produce fluorescent mono- and diacylated products, which are then physically separated from the reaction mixture and quantitated by means of their fluorescence and/or absorbance.

Abstract: This invention describes novel 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacenes containing heteroaryl substituents conjugated to the fluorophore and methods for their synthesis. The heteroaryl substituted compounds (heteroaryl dyes) generally have the structure: ##STR1## wherein any or all of the substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7, but at least one of such substituents, is a heteroaryl group, including 5- or 6-member rings, singly or fused, containing one or more heteroatoms. The new dyes that have spectral properties that are significantly shifted from those of the parent alkyl-substituted dyes, usually accompanied by an increase in photostability and in some cases by an increase in the extinction coefficient relative to the alkyl-substituted dyes. The general method of synthesis includes formation of pyrromethene salt intermediates followed by cyclization with boron trifluoride in the presence of a base to give heteroaryl-substituted dipyrrometheneboron difluoride dyes.

Abstract: This invention relates to ethenyl-substituted derivatives of dipyrrometheneboron difluoride dyes that have an absorption maximum at wavelengths longer than about 525 nm, and are electrically neutral, highly photostable and, in most cases, highly fluorescent with relatively narrow absorption and emission spectra. The ethenyl-substituted dyes generally have the structure: ##STR1## wherein at least one of the fluorophore substituents R.sub.1 -R.sub.7, is an ethenyl group of the formula --CX.sub.m .dbd.CY.sub.m --Z.sub.m, where m is any combination of locations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 corresponding to the location of parent fluorophore substituents R.sub.1-7. The initial ethenyl substituents X.sub.m, Y.sub.m, and Z.sub.m, which may be the same or different, are halogen, alkyl (containing 1-10 carbon atoms), cyano, ester, amide, ethenyl or polyethenyl, aryl or heteroaryl.

Abstract: Novel fluorescent dyes based on the dipyrrometheneboron difluoride structure are provided. The new reagents contain functional groups capable of forming a stable fluorescent product with functional groups typically found in biomolecules or polymers including amines, phenols, thiols, acids, aldehydes and ketones. Reactive groups in the dipyrrometheneboron difluoride dyes include activated esters, isocyanates, amines, hydrazines, sulfonyl halides, acids, aldehydes, alcohols and haloacetamides. The products are detected by their absorbance or fluorescence properties. The spectral properties of the fluorescent dyes are sufficiently similar in wavelengths and intensity to fluorescein as to permit use of the same euqipment. The dyes, however, have narrower spectral bandwidths than fluorescein, do not show appreciable sensitivity to pH, have higher solubility in non-polar solvents and have improved photostability.