Patent ID: 6967079

Claim:
A primer for amplification or detection of a nucleic acid, the primer comprising a compound of the formula B x -R 1 , a tautomer, solvate or salt thereof, wherein R 1 is a binding partner and B x is of the formula: wherein a and b are 0 or 1, provided that the total of a and b is 0 or 1; A is N or C; X is S, O, —C(O)—, NH or NCH 2 R 6 ; Y is —C(O)—; Z is taken together with A to form an aryl or heteroaryl ring structure comprising 5 or 6 ring atoms wherein the heteroaryl ring comprises a single O ring heteroatom, a single N ring heteroatom, a single S ring heteroatom, a single O and a single N ring heteroatom separated by a carbon atom, a single S and a single N ring heteroatom separated by a carbon atom, 2 N ring heteroatoms separated by a carbon atom, or 3 N ring heteroatoms at least two of which are separated by a carbon atom, and wherein the aryl or heteroaryl ring carbon atoms are unsubstituted with other than H or at least 1 nonbridging ring carbon atom is substituted with R 6 or ═O, R 6 is independently H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, NO 2 , N(R 3 ) 2 , CN or halo, or R 6 taken together with an adjacent R 6 to complete a ring containing 5 to 6 ring atoms, and tautomers, solvates and salts thereof; and R 3 is a protecting group or H; provided that where a is 0, b is 1 and R 1 is in which D 2 is independently hydroxyl, blocked hydroxyl, mono-, di- or triphosphate, or an oligodeoxyribonucleotide otherwise containing only the bases A, G, T and C; and D 3 is H or OH, then Z, taken together with A, is not unsubstituted phenyl.