Fluorescent water-solvated conjugated polymers

A polymeric tandem dye comprising:

• a water soluble light harvesting multichromophore comprising a conjugated segment having the structure of formula (I):
• wherein:
• each L is independently a conjugated backbone linking unit selected from a covalent bond, a vinylene group and an ethynylene group;
• M1 and M2 are independently an aryl co-monomer or heteroaryl co-monomer;
• M1 does not comprise fluorene and M2 does not comprise fluorene;
• each * is a site for covalent attachment to the unsaturated backbone of a conjugated polymer;
• n is an integer from 1 to 100,000;
• a signaling chromophore covalently linked to the multichromophore in energy-receiving proximity therewith;
• and
• one or more of:
• (i) the conjugated segment has the structure of formula (II):
• wherein:
• each W is independently selected from an alkyl, a substituted alkyl, an aralkyl, a substituted aralkyl, an aryl, a substituted aryl, a heteroaryl, a substituted heteroaryl, a PEG or modified PEG group and a water soluble group (WSG);
• and q is 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• and
• (ii) M2 is selected from one of the following structures:
• wherein:
• Y8 is C(R3)2, —C(R3)2C(R3)2—, NR3 or Si(R3)2;
• Y9 is C(R4)2, —C(R4)2C(R4)2- or Si(R4)2;
• X is S or O;
• R1 and R2 are independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, acyl, substituted acyl, sulfonic acid, cyano, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy and -T1-Z1, or R1 and R2 together form a 5- or 6-membered fused aryl or heteroaryl ring which can be optionally substituted;
• each R3 is independently H, amino, substituted amino, halogen, cyano, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, acyl, substituted acyl, sulfonic acid, cyano, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy and -T1-Z1;
• each R4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, acyl, substituted acyl, sulfonic acid, cyano, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy and -T1-Z1;
• Z1 is a chemoselective functional group or a linked signaling chromophore;
• and
• T1 is a linker.

A labeled specific binding member, comprising:

• a water soluble light harvesting multichromophore comprising a conjugated segment having the structure of formula (I):
• wherein:
• each L is independently a conjugated backbone linking unit selected from a covalent bond, a vinylene group and an ethynylene group;
• M1 and M2 are independently an aryl co-monomer or heteroaryl co-monomer;
• M1 does not comprise fluorene and M2 does not comprise fluorene;
• each * is a site for covalent attachment to the unsaturated backbone of a conjugated polymer
• n is an integer from 1 to 100,000;
• and
• a specific binding member covalently linked to the multichromophore.