Straightforward synthesis of bioconjugatable azo dyes. Part 2: Black Hole Quencher-2 (BHQ-2) and BlackBerry Quencher 650 (BBQ-650) scaffolds

A further extension of the efficient synthetic methodology described in Part I, to the aromatic bis-diazo scaffold of Black Hole Quencher-2 dye is presented. Bioconjugatable derivatives bearing either azido, terminal alkyne, or maleimide reactive group were easily obtained as well as the free-phenol form of BlackBerry (R) Quencher 650 (BBQ-650 (R)) initially developed by Berry & Associates, Inc. Company. The efficient conjugation ability of azido- and maleimide-quenchers was demonstrated through the facile preparation of the first water-soluble and formylated BHQ-2 dyes and a FRET-based probe suitable for the in vitro/in cellulo detection of a cancer-associated protease namely urokinase-type plasminogen activator. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.