Patent ID: 8791092

Claim:
A molecular tweezers, said molecular tweezers having one of the formulas I-IV: or a salt thereof, where: C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , and C 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Cl, Br, I, OR, NR 2 , NO 2 , CO 2 H, and CO 2 R, where R is alkyl, aryl, or H; or C 1 and C 2 and/or C 3 and C 4 form an aliphatic or aromatic ring; A is selected from the group consisting of phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, alkylphosphamide, arylphosphamide, sulfate, and alkylcarboxylate; B is selected from the group consisting of phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, alkylphosphonate, arylphosphonate, alkylphosphamide, arylphosphamide, and sulfate, or B has the formula: —X—S—Y—Z where: X is present or absent and when present is —(C═O)—; S is a spacer; Y is selected from the group consisting of an ester, an amide, a urethane, and a sulfonic ester link; and Z is selected from the group consisting of a detectable label, a protein, a nucleic acid, a sugar, and a glycoprotein; and said molecular tweezers does not have the formula of TW2.