Fluorescent conjugated polymers

A method of labeling a target molecule, the method comprising:

• contacting the target molecule with a polymeric dye to produce a labeled target molecule, wherein the polymeric dye comprises:
• a 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 is an aryl co-monomer or heteroaryl co-monomer;
• 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
• 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;
• 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;
• each R5, R6, and R7 is independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, substituted acyl, sulfonic acid, cyano, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy and -T1-Z1;
• each Z1 is independently a chemoselective functional group or a lined signaling chromophore;
• and
• each T1 is independently a linker;
• and
• a conjugation tag that covalently links to the target molecule.

A method of evaluating a sample for the presence of a target analyte, the method comprising:

• (a) contacting the sample with a polymeric dye conjugate that specifically binds the target analyte to produce a labeling composition contacted sample, wherein the polymeric dye conjugate comprises:
• (i) a 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, wherein 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
• (ii) a specific binding member;
• and
• (b) assaying the labeling composition contacted sample for the presence of a polymeric dye conjugate-target analyte binding complex to evaluate whether the target analyte is present in the sample.

A method of labeling a target molecule, the method comprising:

• covalently bonding a polymeric dye to the target molecule to produce a labeled target molecule, wherein the polymeric dye comprises:
• a 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 is an aryl co-monomer or heteroaryl co-monomer that 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
• 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;
• 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;
• each R5, R6, and R7 is independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, substituted acyl, sulfonic acid, cyano, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy and -T1-Z1;
• each Z1 is independently a chemoselective functional group or a lined signaling chromophore;
• and
• each T1 is independently a linker.