P-phenylene ethynylene compounds as bioactive and detection agents

A sensor comprising a p-phenylene ethynylene compound and an enzyme substrate, wherein the p-phenylene ethynylene compound has the structure:

• wherein
• R1 has the structure:
• at each occurrence Z is independently chosen from —CH2—, —O—, —S—, and —NH—;
• at each occurrence L2 is independently chosen from (C1-C50) hydrocarbylene interrupted by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 groups independently chosen from —O—, —S—, and —NH—;
• at each occurrence R2 is independently chosen from —H, (C1-C5) alkyl, —SO3, —CO2,—H2PO4−, HPO42−, PO43−, phenolate, (C1-C10) alkyl-(1,4-substituted 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octane-1,4-diium)-, and 3-methylimidazolium, and —N+ (RA)3, wherein at each occurrence RA is independently (C1-C5) alkyl;
• j is about 0 to about 4;
• at each occurrence L1 is independently chosen from a bond and
• at each occurrence A is independently chosen from a substituted or unsubstituted—C(O)O—(C1-C10) hydrocarbyl and a substituted or unsubstituted —C(O)NH—(C1-C10) hydrocarbyl;
• and
• m is about 1 to about 10.