Patent ID: 7825215

Claim:
A nucleic acid mimic in admixture with at least one target molecule selected from the group consisting of nucleic acids, transcription factors, carbohydrates and proteins, said mimic having formula (I): wherein: n is at least 2, each of L 1 -L n is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkanoyl, naturally occurring nucleobases, non-naturally occurring nucleobases, aromatic moieties, DNA intercalators, nucleobase-binding groups, heterocyclic moieties, and reporter ligands, at least one of L 1 -L n being said base substituted with at least one sterically bulky substituent; each of C 1 -C n is (CR 6 R 7 ) y where R 6 is hydrogen and R 7 is selected from the group consisting of the side chains of naturally occurring alpha amino acids, or R 6 and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 2 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, NR 3 R 4 and SR 5 , where R 3 and R 4 independently are hydrogen, a conjugate, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy- or alkoxy- or alkylthio-substituted (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, alkylthio or amino; and R 5 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, hydroxy-, alkoxy-, or alkylthio-substituted (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, or R 6 and R 7 taken together complete an alicyclic or heterocyclic system; each of D 1 -D n is (CR 6 R 7 ) z where R 6 and R 7 are as defined above; each of y and z is zero or an integer from 1 to 10, the sum y+z being greater than 2 but not more than 10; each of G 1 -G n-1 is —NR 3 CO—, —NR 3 CS—, —NR 3 SO— or —NR 3 SO 2 —, in either orientation, where R 3 is as defined above; each pair of A 1 -A n and B 1 -B n are selected such that: (a) A is a group of formula (IIc) and B is N or R 3 N + ; or (b) A is a group of formula (IId) and B is CH; where: X is O, S, Se, NR 3 , CH 2 or C(CH 3 ) 2 ; Y is a single bond, O, S or NR 4 ; each of p and q is zero or an integer from 1 to 5.