Water-soluble tetraazaporphins and fluorochrome for labeling

A water-soluble tetraazaporphin represented by the formula:

• ##STR288## wherein M is Al, Si, P, Ga, Ge or Sc;
• k is zero or an integer of 1;
• in the case of k being 1, L is
• --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.a NH--,
• --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.b NH.COO--,
• --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 O-- or
• --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 NH--;
• a and b are independently an integer of 1 to 6;
• x is an integer of 1 to 6;
• y is an integer of 1 to 200;
• R.sup.1 is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group or an aralkyl group;
• p is an integer of 1 or 2 indicating the number of groups represented by the formula --OL.sub.k --(C.sub.x H.sub.2x O).sub.y --R.sup.1 which is bonded to M;
• four A's, which may be the same or different, are independently a fused polycyclic aromatic ring formed from two or more aromatic rings, which may have substituents XQ's or Q's in a number of m (X is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom, a phosphorus atom, a silicon atom, a selenium atom, NH.CO, NH.PO.sub.2, NH.SO.sub.2, O.CO, O.SO.sub.2, O.PO.sub.2, S.CO, S.SO.sub.2, S.PO.sub.2, CO, SO.sub.2 or PO.sub.2 ;
• Q is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group;
• and each m is the same or different and independently an integer of 1 to 4;
• each n is the same or different and independently zero or an integer of 1 or more, 4n (the sum of four n's, namely, the total number of EZ's) being an integer of 1 or more;
• each substituent (EZ) in a number of n is the same or different and independently bonded to the fused polycyclic aromatic ring A and/or Q;
• and E is a cationic group in the case of Z being an anion, E is an anionic group in the case of Z being a cation, and E is a bonded group containing a polyethylene glycol residue, a polyether residue, a polyamine residue, a polyalcohol residue or a polycarboxylic acid residue in the case of Z being absent.