Fluorescent polymeric materials containing lipid soluble rhodamine dyes

Abstract

Fluorescent polymeric materials are disclosed comprising a polymer and one or more lipid soluble rhodamine dyes. The materials are especially useful in the preparation of multicolored microparticles, especially multicolored polystyrene microparticle, for use in the multiplexed analysis of a plurality of analytes in a single sample. When excited by a light source, the materials give off a unique emission based on the nature, concentration and ratio of the dyes therein. Methods of preparing and using said materials are also disclosed.

1 . A fluorescent polymeric material comprising a polymer and at least one lipid-soluble rhodamine dye comprising one of the following core structures: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where R 1  R 2 , R 2′ , R 3′ , R 3″ , R 4 , R 4′ , R 5′ , R 5 , R 6″ , R 6′ , R 7′ , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 11 , R 12  R 12 , R 13 , R 14  and R 15  are, independently, selected from hydrogen or the same or different substituent groups having no more than 40 atoms, 
         where at least one of R 3′ , R 3″ , R 6″  and R 6′  is a lipophilic substituent; 
         where R 9  in core structure (II) is a nonaromatic substituent; 
         where, with respect to core structures (I), (III) and (IV), if R 3″  and R 6″  are each phenyl or substituted phenyl and R 3′  and R 6′  are each hydrogen then at least two of R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14  and R 15  must be other than hydrogen; and 
         where, with respect to core structures (I), (III) and (IV), R 1  and R 8  are not, simultaneously, pendant or fused benzo, naptho or polycyclic aryleno groups.