Fluorescent group-containing carbodiimide compound precursor, fluorescent group-containing carbodiimide compound and methods for producing them

A fluorescent group-containing carbodiimide compound having at least one group selected from a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, a phosphono group and a phospho group which have substitution of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or a basic group containing a nitrogen or phosphorus atom, which is represented by the following general formula (III):

• wherein,
• X represents a halogen atom or a sulfonic acid group;
• A represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of —CH2—, —NHCO—, —CONH—, —O—, —S—, —NR1— wherein R1 represents a linear, cyclic or branched saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1-20 carbon atoms, —NR2R3— wherein R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1-20 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group which may have a substituent, provided that when one of R2 and R3 is a hydrogen atom, the other represents a linear or branched saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1-20 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group which may have a substituent, or R2 and R3 may be bonded to each other to form as a whole a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group which may contain an oxygen atom, —COO—, —OCO—, —NHSO2—, —NHC(S)NH— and SO2NH—;
• n represents 0 or 1;
• W represents a direct bond or a quaternary onium group;
• Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 each represent a functional group represented by the general formula (II):
• —(CH2)p—(L)r—(CH2)q— (II)
• wherein, L represents a functional group selected from the group consisting of —CH2—, —NHCO—, —CONH—, —O—, —S—, —NR1—;
• p and q each represent an integer of from 0 to 20;
• and r represents the integers 0 or 1;
• B represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group being the same as or different from —W—Y1—[A]n—Y4;
• and
• F represents a fluorescent group;
• Q represents either a tertiary or quaternary nitrogen atom, or a tertiary or quaternary phosphorus atom;
• R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1-20 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group which may contain a substituent, provided that when one of R4 and R5 is a hydrogen atom, the other represents a linear or branched saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1-20 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group which may contain a substituent, or R4 and R5 may be bonded to each other to form a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group or a phosphorus-contain heterocyclic group, which may contain an oxygen atom, as Q+R4R5—;
• Y5 has the same meaning as defined for Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4;
• and
• at least one functional group selected from B, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, A, W, R4, R5 and F has at least one group selected from a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, a phosphono group and a phospho group which have substitution of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or a basic group containing a nitrogen or phosphorous atom.