Modified nucleic acid binding cyanine dyes for the detection of reactive oxygen species

A reduced dye compound having structural formula (II):

• wherein
• each R1 is H;
• t is 4;
• R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 alkyl;
• R5 is selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, C1-C6 polyalkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, C1-C6 polyalkynyl and an OMEGA;
• R3, R4, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, C1-C6 polyalkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, C1-C6 polyalkynyl, —OR8, —SR8, —(NR8R9), —OSO2R19, and an OMEGA, wherein R8 and R9, which may be the same or different, are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C6 alkyl;
• R19 is a C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl, or aryl;
• OMEGA is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl,
• wherein the OMEGA is attached at R3, R4, R5, R11, R12, R13, or R14 by a single bond,
• wherein when more than one of R3, R4, R5, R11, R12, R13, and R14 is an OMEGA, each OMEGA is optionally the same or different, and
• wherein one or two of R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R11, R12, R13 and R14 is an OMEGA;
• X is O, S, Se, NR15 or CR16R17;
• R16 and R17, which may be the same or different, are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1-C6 alkyl;
• R15 is H or C1-C6 alkyl;
• R20, R21 and R22 are independently H, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C10 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl;
• W is H or D in either the R or S configuration;
• and
• n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.