Fluorogenic compounds converted to fluorophores by photochemical or chemical means and their use in biological systems

1. A process for converting a fluorogen to a fluorescing fluorophore comprising the steps of:

applying photoactivating light to an azide-pi-acceptor fluorogen compound and converting said azide-pi-acceptor fluorogen to a fully conjugated donor-pi-acceptor fluorophore.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said pi group of said fluorogen is conjugated and is derived from one or more contiguous alkenes each, independently, containing from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms, or wherein said one or more contiguous alkenes is replaced by a —(CH═N)— unit, or wherein said one or more contiguous alkenes are substituted with an aliphatic group containing from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms;

or is derived from one or more alkynes each, independently, containing from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms;

or is derived from one or more aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic or mono or polysubstituted aromatic or heterocyclic wherein each, independently, aromatic group has from 3 to about 26 total ring atoms, or each, independently, heterocyclic aromatic group has from 3 to 26 total ring atoms and from 1 to 3 nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, or selenium atoms, and wherein each substituent, independently, is a) one or more alkyl groups having a total of from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms, or b) is one or more alkene groups having a total of from 2 to about 4 carbon atoms, or c) one or more alkyne groups having a total of from 2 to 10 carbon atoms; or d) is an unsubstituted heterocyclic group having a total of from 3 to about 26 carbon atoms, and, independently, from 1 to 3 nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, or selenium atoms; or e) wherein said substituent is one or more halides; or f) wherein said substituent can be connected to 2 or more of said aromatic groups; or

any combination of the preceding; and

wherein said acceptor group comprises one or more electron accepting groups comprising nitro, nitroso, cyano, ketone, sulfone, ester, carboxylic acid, amide, or sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein said acceptor group of said fluorogen comprises said one or more electron accepting groups bonded to one or more alkenes, independently, having from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms or to one or more aromatic rings, or bonded to at least one other electron accepting group through one or more alkenes or to one or more aromatic rings, or one or more heterocyclic aromatic rings containing one or more nitrogen atoms and/or one or more oxygen atoms; or any combination thereof;

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 300 to about 600 nanometers, and

wherein said azide group is derived from an azide having the formula R—N 3 where R comprises an aromatic having one or more rings, or a substituted aromatic wherein said substituted group is an aliphatic having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic containing a total of 3 to about 12 atoms with one or more atoms being O, S, N, or a halide, or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 2 , wherein said fluorogen acceptor comprises the formulas

pyridinium wherein R 1 is not H and X— is a counterion, or

where R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 , each, independently, can be the same as R 1 or R 2 , except that R 5 and R 6 can be combined as a cycloaliphatic group; or

or any combination thereof,

wherein said R 1 and said R 2 , independently, comprises H; or, an alkyl group having from 1 to about 18 carbons; or an aryl group having from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms; or an aromatic heterocyclic group containing one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms and from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms, or any combination thereof; or an alkene or an alkyne group each, independently, containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms; or wherein said alkyl, alkene, alkyne, or said aromatic heterocyclic group, aryl group, each, independently and optionally, contain a functional group comprising an ether, an amine, a cyano, an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, or a sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof; and

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said fluorophore donor is an amine group derived from said azide group, and wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein said fluorophore is a compound comprising

wherein said R 1 and said R 2 , independently, comprises H; or, an alkyl group having from 1 to about 18 carbons; or an aryl group having from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms; or an aromatic heterocyclic group containing one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms and from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms, or any combination thereof; or an alkene or an alkyne group each, independently, containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms; or wherein said alkyl, alkene, alkyne, or said aromatic heterocyclic group, aryl group, each, independently and optionally, contain a functional group comprising an ether, an amine, a cyano, an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, or a sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof,

wherein said amine end group comprises —NH 2 , H-alkyl-N—, dialkyl-N—, H-phenyl-N—, diphenyl-N—, wherein said alkyl group, independently, contains from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms and can be linear, branched, or functionalized, wherein said phenyl group, independently, can be substituted and contain from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, or wherein an organic heterocyclic group having a total of from 3 to about 12 atoms can be substituted on said nitrogen atom and optionally include one or more O, S, or N atoms, or wherein said nitrogen atom is part of a ring; and

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

7. The process of claim 2 , wherein said fluorophore donor is an amine group derived from said azide group, and wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

8. The process of claim 2 , wherein said fluorophore is a compound comprising

wherein said R 1 and said R 2 , independently, comprises H; or, an alkyl group having from 1 to about 18 carbons; or an aryl group having from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms; or an aromatic heterocyclic group containing one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms and from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms, or any combination thereof; or an alkene or an alkyne group each, independently, containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms; or wherein said alkyl, alkene, alkyne, or said aromatic heterocyclic group, aryl group, each, independently and optionally, contain a functional group comprising an ether, an amine, a cyano, an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, or a sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof,

wherein said amine end group comprises —NH 2 , H-alkyl-N—, dialkyl-N—, H-phenyl-N—, diphenyl-N—, wherein said alkyl group, independently, contains from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms and can be linear, branched, or functionalized, wherein said phenyl group, independently, can be substituted and contain from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, or wherein an organic heterocyclic group having a total of from 3 to about 12 atoms can be substituted on said nitrogen atom and optionally include one or more O, S, or N atoms, or wherein said nitrogen atom is part of a ring; and

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

9. The process of claim 3 , wherein said fluorophore donor is an amine group derived from said azide group, and wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

10. The process of claim 3 , wherein said fluorophore is a compound comprising

wherein said R 1 and said R 2 , independently, comprises H; or, an alkyl group having from 1 to about 18 carbons; or an aryl group having from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms; or an aromatic heterocyclic group containing one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms and from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms, or any combination thereof; or an alkene or an alkyne group each, independently, containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms; or wherein said alkyl, alkene, alkyne, or said aromatic heterocyclic group, aryl group, each, independently and optionally, contain a functional group comprising an ether, an amine, a cyano, an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, or a sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof,

wherein said amine end group comprises —NH 2 , H-alkyl-N—, dialkyl-N—, H-phenyl-N—, diphenyl-N—, wherein said alkyl group, independently, contains from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms and can be linear, branched, or functionalized, wherein said phenyl group, independently, can be substituted and contain from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, or wherein an organic heterocyclic group having a total of from 3 to about 12 atoms can be substituted on said nitrogen atom and optionally include one or more O, S, or N atoms, or wherein said nitrogen atom is part of a ring; and

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

11. The process of claim 4 , wherein said fluorophore donor is an amine group derived from said azide group, and wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength of from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

12. The process of claim 4 , wherein said fluorophore is a compound comprising

wherein said R 1 and said R 2 , independently, comprises H; or, an alkyl group having from 1 to about 18 carbons; or an aryl group having from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms; or an aromatic heterocyclic group containing one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur atoms and from 4 to about 14 carbon atoms, or any combination thereof; or an alkene or an alkyne group each, independently, containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms; or wherein said alkyl, alkene, alkyne, or said aromatic heterocyclic group, aryl group, each, independently and optionally, contain a functional group comprising an ether, an amine, a cyano, an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, or a sulfonic acid, or any combination thereof,

wherein said amine end group comprises —NH 2 , H-alkyl-N—, dialkyl-N—, H-phenyl-N—, diphenyl-N—, wherein said alkyl group, independently, contains from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms and can be linear, branched, or functionalized, wherein said phenyl group, independently, can be substituted and contain from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms, or wherein an organic heterocyclic group having a total of from 3 to about 12 atoms can be substituted on said nitrogen atom and optionally include one or more O, S, or N atoms, or wherein said nitrogen atom is part of a ring; and

wherein said photoactivating light has a wavelength from about 350 to about 500 nanometers.

13. The process of claim 11 , wherein with respect to said fluorogen pi group said one or more aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic or mono or polysubstituted aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic groups each, independently, contains from about 5 to about 14 total ring atoms, wherein said one or more substituent alkyl groups each, independently, contains from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and wherein said heterocyclic aromatic group ring contains one or more of only said nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atoms therein; and wherein said azide group is derived from an azide having the formula R—N 3 where R comprises an aromatic having one or more rings, or a substituted aromatic wherein said substituted group is an aliphatic having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic containing a total of 3 to about 12 atoms with one or more atoms being O, S, N, or a halide, or a combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein with respect to said fluorogen pi group said one or more aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic or mono or polysubstituted aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic groups each, independently, contains from about 5 to about 14 total ring atoms, wherein said one or more substituent alkyl groups each, independently, contains from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and wherein said heterocyclic aromatic group ring contains one or more of only said nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atoms therein; and wherein said azide group is derived from an azide having the formula R—N 3 where R comprises an aromatic having one or more rings, or a substituted aromatic wherein said substituted group is an aliphatic having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic containing a total of 3 to about 12 atoms with one or more atoms being O, S, N, or a halide, or a combination thereof.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein with respect to said fluorogen pi group said one or more aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic or mono or polysubstituted aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic groups each, independently, contains from about 5 to about 14 total ring atoms, wherein said one or more substituent alkyl groups each, independently, contains from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and wherein said heterocyclic aromatic group ring contains one or more of only said nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atoms therein; and wherein said azide group is derived from an azide having the formula R—N 3 where R comprises an aromatic having one or more rings, or a substituted aromatic wherein said substituted group is an aliphatic having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic containing a total of 3 to about 12 atoms with one or more atoms being O, S, N, or a halide, or a combination thereof.