Amyloid binding agents

A method of detecting an amyloid peptide, the method comprising:

• (i) contacting an amyloid peptide with a compound having the structure of formula (I), or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof, thereby forming a detectable amyloid complex;
• and
• (ii) detecting said detectable amyloid complex;
• wherein formula (I) has the structure:
• wherein
• EDG is an electron donor group;
• πCE is a pi-conjugation element;
• and
• WSG is a water soluble group;
• wherein
• said pi-conjugation element has the formula:
• -L1-(A1)q-L2-(A2)r-L3- or -L1-(A1)q-L4-A3-L2-(A2)r-L3-,
• wherein
• at least one of q or r is 1;
• at least one of A1 or A2 is R17-substituted or unsubstituted arylene or R17-substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylene;
• L1, L2, L3 and L4 are independently a bond or a linking group having the formula:
• wherein x is an integer from 1 to 50;
• A3 is R17-substituted or unsubstituted arylene, or R17-substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylene;
• R17 is halogen, —OR18, —NR19R20, R21-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R18, R19 and R20 are independently hydrogen, R21-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R21 is halogen, —OR22, —NR23R24, unsubstituted alkyl, unsubstituted heteroalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• and
• R22, R23 and R24 are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted alkyl.

A method of detecting an amyloid peptide, the method comprising:

• (i) contacting an amyloid peptide with a compound having the structure of formula (IV), or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof, thereby forming a detectable amyloid complex;
• and
• (ii) detecting said detectable amyloid complex;
• wherein formula (IV) has the structure:
• wherein R4 and R5 are independently hydrogen, R12-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R12-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R12-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R12-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R12-substituted or unsubstituted aryl or R12-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, wherein R4 and R5 are optionally joined together to form an R12-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, or R12-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R12 is halogen, —OR13, —NR14R15, R16-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R16-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R16-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R16-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R16-substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or R16-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R13, R14 and R15 are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted alkyl;
• R16 is unsubstituted alkyl, unsubstituted heteroalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R17 is halogen, —OR18, —NR19R20, R21-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R18, R19 and R20 are independently hydrogen, R21-substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, R21-substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or R21-substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R21 is halogen, —OR22, —NR23R24, unsubstituted alkyl, unsubstituted heteroalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R22, R23 and R24 are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted alkyl;
• R29 is halogen, —OR30, —NR31R32, unsubstituted alkyl, unsubstituted heteroalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, or unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• R30, R31 and R32 are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted alkyl;
• y is an integer from 1 to 10;
• and
• z is an integer from 0 to 6.