Labels, their production process and their uses

1. A label, consisting of a dye comprising a carbon covalently bonded to:

one or more [FUNC] group(s), and

optionally one or more [SOL] group(s),

said label having the following general formula (7):

wherein:

Z 1 and Z 2 each represent independently of each other a benzo or naphtho moiety;

V and W are each independently of each other chosen from CR 7 R 8 , O, S, Se and NR 9 , where R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are each independently of each other chosen from hydrogen and a (CH 2 ) m R 10 group, where m is an integer from 1 to 18 and R 10 is selected from hydrogen, amine, substituted amine, quaternary ammonium, aldehyde, halogen, cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, hydroxyl, amide, sulphonic acid and its salts, carboxylic acid and its salts;

n is an integer from 1 to 10;

i is an integer from 1 to n;

R 3 and R 4 each represent independently of each other a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched C 1 -C 30 , alkyl group, cycloalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, nitroalkyl, alkylamine, substituted alkylamine, quaternary alkylammonium, alkylphosphate, alkylsulphonic acid and its salts;

T′ 1 to T′ 8 each represent independently of each other a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a linear or branched C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, sulphoalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, nitro, amine, substituted amine, quaternary ammonium, phosphate, sulphonic acid and its salts, OR 11 , COOR 11 or CONHR 11 with R 11 chosen from hydrogen and a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, or [SOL] or [FUNC];

providing that at least one of T′ 1 to T′ 8 , represents [FUNC];

and G 1i , G 2i , G 3 each represent independently of each other a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, or a cycloalkyl or aryl group;

B 1i , B 2i , B 3 each represent independently of each other a methine group (═CH—), a cycloalkyl group with 4 to 8 carbon atoms that is mono- or di-unsaturated, an aryl-cycloalkyl group with 4 to 8 carbon atoms that is mono- or di-unsaturated, or one of the following groups:

each of these groups being either unsubstituted, or substituted by one or more linear or branched C 1 -C 18 alkyl groups;

Y represents a counter-ion chosen from the ions halide, p-toluenesulphonate, methanesulphonate, trifluoromethane-sulphonate, perchlorate, acetate, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, lithium, ammonium and trialkylammonium;

p is an integer of 0 to 8 necessary to the neutrality of the molecule;

[FUNC] each representing independently an —X-A-Z group, wherein:

X is chosen from the group consisting of oxygen and sulphur;

A is an alkylene group, or an alkylene-arylene group;

Z is a reactive chemical function chosen from the group consisting of carboxylic acid and its salts, acid anhydride, acid chloride, ester, azido, hydrazide, 3-acyl-1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione, amine, substituted amine, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, hydrazine, maleimide, haloacetamide, monochlorotriazine, dichlorotriazine, mono- or dihalogenated diazine, aziridine, thiol, sulphonyl chloride, vinylsulphone, disulphide, methanethiosulphonate, phosphoramidite, epoxy, aldehyde, glyoxal, and imidazolyl;

[SOL] each representing independently an —X′-A′-Z′ group, wherein:

X′ is chosen from the group consisting of oxygen and sulphur;

A′ is chosen from the group consisting of an alkylene group or alkylene-arylene group;

Z′ is either a polar group chosen from the group consisting of sulphonic acid and its salts, quaternary ammonium, carbohydrate, glycol, hydroxyl, nitro, and phosphate, or an apolar group chosen from the group consisting of linear or branched alkyl having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, alkyloxy having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, haloalkyl having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkylester having 2 to 40 carbon atoms, aryl, aryloxy, substituted arylalkyl, arylalkyl, and haloaryl.

2. The label according to claim 1 , wherein the alkylene group is a cyclic, linear or branched hydrocarbon chain having two free bonds, and comprising 1 to 30 carbon atoms and the arylene group is an aromatic group, having two free bonds, comprising one or more aromatic rings, optionally substituted.

3. The label according to claim 1 , wherein [FUNC] is chosen from

—X—(CH 2 ) r —COOSu,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —COOSuSO 3 Na,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —COOH,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —COO—C 6 H 4 —NO 2 ,

—X—(C 6 H 4 )—(CH 2 ) r —COOSu,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —NHCOCH 2 I,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —NCS,

—X—(CH 2 ) r —C 6 H 4 CH(CH 3 )—COOSu, and

—X—(CH 2 ) r —OP[N(iPr) 2 ][CH 2 CH 2 CN],

X being as defined in claim 1 , r being an integer from 1 to 18, and Su representing the succinimidyl group.

4. The label according to claim 1 , wherein [SOL] is chosen from

—X′—(CH 2 ) r —SO 3 Na,

—X′—(CH 2 ) r —SO 3 H,

—X′—(CH 2 ) r —C 6 H 3 (NO 2 ) 2 , and

—X′—(CH 2 ) r —CH 3 ,

X′ being as defined in claim 1 and, r being an integer from 1 to 18.

5. The label according to claim 1 , wherein said label is chosen from the group consisting of:

wherein each one of y, z and n, identical or different, is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8,

Z represents —COOH or

and Y represents SO 3 − or SO 3 Na; and

wherein each one of y, z and n, identical or different, is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8,

Z represents —COOH or

and Y represents SO 3 − or SO 3 Na.

6. A process for preparing labels as defined in claim 1 , wherein said process comprises a nucleophilic substitution reaction between either:

Z-A-L and [DYE′]-Nu

or:

[DYE″]-L and Z-A-Nu

Z and A being as defined in claim 1 ;

L representing a leaving group;

Nu representing a nucleophilic group chosen from the group consisting of —OH, —SH and —NR 1 R 2 , wherein R 1 and R 2 each being independently of each other a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched C 1 -C 30 alkyl group;

[DYE′] and [DYE″] representing the dye of formula (2)

wherein Z 1 , Z 2 , R 3 , R 4 , B 1i , B 2i , B 3 , G 1 i , G 2 i , G 3 , V, W, Y, n and p are as defined in claim 1 and T 1 to T 8 each represent independently of each other a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a linear or branched C 1 -C 30 , preferably C 1 -C 18 , more preferentially C 1 -C 5 alkyl group, sulphoalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, nitro, amine, substituted amine, quaternary ammonium, phosphate, sulphonic acid and its salts, OR 11 , COOR 11 or CONHR 11 with R 11 chosen from hydrogen and a C 1 -C 30 .

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the nucleophilic substitution reaction is a Williamson reaction in the presence of a base.

8. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the leaving group L is chosen from the group consisting of a halogen, a methanesulphonate, a para-toluenesulphonate group and a diazonium group.

9. The process according to claim 6 , wherein [DYE′]-Nu is obtained by the following successive reactions:

1. nitration of [DYE′];

2. reduction of the product obtained in stage 1;

3. optionally: either alkylation of the product obtained in stage 2, or diazotization of the product obtained in stage 2 in order to obtain a diazonium salt then nucleophilic substitution on this diazonium function.

10. The process according to claim 6 , wherein [DYE″]-L is obtained by the following successive reactions:

1′. nitration of [DYE″];

2′. reduction of the product obtained in stage 1′;

3′. diazotization of the product obtained in stage 2′ in order to obtain a diazonium salt;

4′. optionally: nucleophilic substitution on the diazonium function of the product obtained in stage 3′.

11. The process according to claim 6 , wherein said process comprises a nucleophilic substitution reaction between:

either:

Z′-A′-L and [DYE′]-Nu

or:

[DYE″]-L and Z′-A′-Nu

Z′ and A′ being as defined in claim 1 ;

L, Nu, [DYE′] and [DYE″] being as defined previously in claim 10 ;

[DYE′]-Nu and [DYE″]-L being prepared according to the process of claim 6 .

12. A process of labelling a target molecule comprising the step of coupling said target molecule with a label according to claim 1 .

13. A product of formula:

in which

Z 1 , V, p, Y are as defined in claim 1 ,

R′ 3 represents an electronic doublet or represents R 3 as defined in claim 1 ;

μ is an integer equal to 0 or 1;

R 12 represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, sulphoalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, T′ 1 to T′ 4 , being as defined in claim 1 .

14. The products according to claim 13 , wherein said product is selected from the group consisting of:

15. A method for labelling a biological molecule comprising the step of coupling said biological molecule with a label of claim 1 .

16. The method for labelling a biological molecule according to claim 15 , wherein said step of coupling is performed in the presence of a peptide coupling agent selected from the group consisting of carbodiimide-type reagents carbonyldiimidazole, IDDQ(1-isobutyloxycarbonyl-2-isobutyloxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline), phosphonium-type reagents, uronium-type reagents, Woodward reagents, and Curtius reagents.

17. The method for labelling biological molecules according to claim 16 , wherein the coupling reaction is carried out in the presence of dimethylformamide.

18. A method for detecting a biological or non-biological molecule comprising the step of coupling a label according to claim 1 with said biological or non-biological molecule, and a step of detecting said molecule coupled with the label by absorption spectrometry, fluorescence spectrometry, infrared spectrometry, electrophoresis, near infra-red or infra-red medical imaging.

19. The label according to claim 1 , wherein said label is selected from the group consisting of: