New fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors based on the rhodamine and boronic acid groups for the detection of Hg

Novel rhodamine B (RB) derivatives bearing mono and bis-boronic acid groups were investigated as Hg²⁺ selective fluorescent and colorimetric sensors. These derivatives are first examples of reversible fluorescent chemosensors for Hg²⁺ which utilized boronic acid groups as binding sites. Two new RB-boronic acid derivatives displayed selective ‘Off-On’-type fluorescent enhancements and distinct color changes with Hg²⁺. Selective fluorescent enhancement of two rhodamine derivatives was attributed to ring opening from the spirolactam (nonfluorescent) to ring-opened amide (fluorescent).     

The first fluorescent sensor for boronic and boric acids with sensitivity at sub-micromolar concentrations--a cautionary tale

The first reported fluorescent sensor for boronic and boric acids is actually not a sensor for boronic and boric acids but rather is a sensor for protons; the system is also not the first fluorescent sensor since Alizarin has been used as a fluorescent sensor for boric acids since 1936.     

Chiral mono boronic acid as fluorescent enantioselective sensor for mono alpha-hydroxyl carboxylic acids

New mono boronic acid was found to be an enantioselective fluorescent chemosensor for mono alpha-hydroxyl carboxylic acids, such as mandelic acid and lactic acid. The chiral sensor shows lower background fluorescence, higher fluorescence enhancement, and enantioselective recognition kinetics toward mandelic acids and lactic acids.     

Thermodynamic analysis of receptors based on guanidinium/boronic acid groups for the complexation of carboxylates, alpha-hydroxycarboxylates, and diols: driving force for binding and cooperativity

The thermodynamics of guanidinium and boronic acid interactions with carboxylates, alpha-hydroxycarboxylates, and diols were studied by determination of the binding constants of a variety of different guests to four different hosts (7-10). Each host contains a different combination of guanidinium groups and boronic acids. The guests included molecules with carboxylate and/or diol moieties, such as citrate, tartrate, and fructose, among others. The Gibbs free energies of binding were determined by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, by use of indicator displacement assays. The receptor based on three guanidinium groups (7) was selective for the tricarboxylate guest. The receptors that incorporated boronic acids (8-10) had higher affinities for guests that included alpha-hydroxycarboxylate and catechol moieties over guests containing only carboxylates or alkanediols. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the Gibbs free energies of binding. The binding of citrate and tartrate was investigated with hosts 7-10, for which all the binding events were exothermic, with positive entropy. Because of the selectivity of hosts 8-10, a simple boronic acid (14) was also investigated and determined to be selective for alpha-hydroxycarboxylates and catechols over amino acids and alkanediols. Further, the cooperativity of 8 and 9 in binding tartrate was also investigated, revealing little or no cooperativity with 8, but negative cooperativity with 9. A linear entropy/enthalpy compensation relationship for all the hosts 7-10, 14, and the carboxylate-/diol-containing guests was also obtained. This relationship indicates that increasing enthalpy of binding is offset by similar losses in entropy for molecular recognition involving guanidinium and boronic acid groups.     

Redemitting BODIPY boronic acid fluorescent sensors for detection of lactate

Two redemitting BODIPY boronic acid pinacolate derivatives, sensors 1 and 2 were shown to act as excellent and highly selective lactate detectors at physiological pH (7.4), where the formed sensor-lactate complexes exhibited a significant emission and absorption increase. Since hyperlactataemia ([l-lac] > 6.5 mM) is a common complication in intensive care units, there is need for easy, on-line monitoring of lactate levels in patients. Semi-invasive monitoring via a lactate electrode or optic fiber would be attractive. This may beneficially replace existing lactate detection methods requiring a high degree of instrumentation. Sensors 1 and 2 can detect lactate without interference from biological important monosaccharides, such as d-glucose, d-fructose and d-mannose.     

The first fluorescent diboronic acid sensor specific for hepatocellular carcinoma cells expressing sialyl Lewis X

Carbohydrate antigens with subterminal fucosylation have been implicated in the development and progression of several cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Fluorescent sensors targeting fucosylated carbohydrate antigens could potentially be used for diagnostic and other applications. We have designed and synthesized a series of 26 diboronic acid compounds as potential fluorescent sensors for such carbohydrates. Among these compounds, 7q was able to fluorescently label cells expressing high levels of sLex (HEPG2) within a concentration range of 0.5 to 10 microM. This compound (7q) did not label cells expressing Lewis Y (HEP3B), nor cells without fucosylated antigens (COS7). This represents the first example of a fluorescent compound labeling cells based on cell surface carbohydrate structures.     

An extremely sensitive monoboronic acid based fluorescent sensor for glucose

An extremely sensitive monoboronic acid based fluorescent sensor for glucose was developed. This was carried out by assembling a fluorescent monoboronic acid, 3-aminophenylboronic acid (PBA) indirectly onto gold surface via its electrostatic interaction with cysteine (Cys) that was directly assembled on the gold surface. The formation of self-assembled bilayers (SAB) was confirmed and primarily characterized by cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The SAB containing PBA was found fluorescent and its fluorescence showed an extremely high sensitivity to the presence of glucose and other monosaccharides such as galactose and fructose with quenching constants at 10⁸ M⁻¹ order of magnitude compared to those at 10² M⁻¹ in bulk solutions. The quenching constants were found to vary in the order of that is different from that in bulk solution which shows the highest binding affinity toward d-fructose and very low sensitivity toward glucose. The reported monoboronic acid based SAB fluorescent sensor showed the highest sensitivity towards glucose with the capacity of detecting saccharides of concentration down to nanomolar level. It was also demonstrated that the fluorescence from PBA/Cys/Au can be easily recovered after each measurement event and therefore also represents a new reusable method for immobilizing reagent in fabricating chemosensors.     

One saccharide sensor based on the complex of the boronic acid and the monosaccharide using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

A novel saccharide sensor based on the covalent interaction between the boronic acid and saccharides was developed. Poly (aminophenylboronic acid) (PABA) was prepared by electropolymerizing 3-aminophenylboronic acid on gold electrode surface in acidic solution. The boronic acid group of the PABA film can form covalent-bond with different saccharides, which can change the dielectric characteristics of the PABA film, and the change of the dielectric characteristic was saccharides concentration dependent. Four kinds of saccharides could be detected by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Good linear relationship and high sensitivity were obtained by this method.     

A new saccharide sensor based on a tetrathiafulvalene-anthracene dyad with a boronic acid group

[reaction: see text] A new saccharide sensor based on a tetrathiafulvalene-anthracene dyad with a boronic acid group was designed and synthesized. Our study employed the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit as the electron-rich group in the saccharide sensor instead of an amine group, and this new sensor detects fructose with good selectivity.     

A new type of boronic acid fluorescent reporter compound for sugar recognition

Fluorescent boronic acids that change fluorescent properties upon carbohydrate binding are very useful for the preparation of fluorescent sensors for sugars. Herein we report 5-quinolineboronic acid (5-QBA) that shows significant fluorescent property changes through a unique pK_a-switching mechanism upon binding a diol in aqueous solution.     

A simple and highly selective fluorescent sensor for palladium based on benzofuran-2-boronic acid

Benzofuran-2-boronic acid could be used as a fluorescent sensor for the detection of Pd²⁺ because it was rapidly converted to highly fluorescent derivative after mixing with Pd²⁺ under basic condition at room temperature. We found that dimerization of benzofuran was occurred to form fluorescent derivative by the catalytic activity of palladium. The fluorescence intensity at 360 nm increased with increasing the concentration of Pd²⁺. The excellent selectivity for Pd²⁺ was demonstrated among other metal ions. Based on this findings, we successfully applied benzofuran-2-boronic acid to develop a microplate-based assay for high-throughput measurement of Pd²⁺. The detection limit (blank + 3SD) for Pd²⁺ of the proposed assay was 9.8 nM.     

Lactose tailored boronic acid conjugated fluorescent gold nanoclusters for turn-on sensing of dopamine

Dopamine being a neurotransmitter and chemical messenger plays a vivacious role in a number of significant medical conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Schizophrenia, and drug addiction. As turn-on sensors have a superior level of selectivity than fluorescence quenching based sensors, we developed a fluorescence retrieval strategy for dopamine sensing. Here, highly fluorescent amino phenyl boronic acid (APBA)?conjugated gold nanocluster (Au?BSA?APBA probe) has been synthesised from bovine serum albumin?protected gold nanocluster (Au?BSA NCs). Boronic acid forms boronate ester with disaccharides such as lactose due to its affinity to polyols. Hence fluorescence of Au?BSA?APBA probe is quenched when it binds with lactose molecules through boronate ester formation. The fluorescence of Au?BSA?APBA?lactose system can be retrieved (turn-on) with dopamine by the competitive displacement of lactose from the probe surface which suggests the higher affinity of boronic acid to the catechol group of dopamine. Furthermore, real samples spiked with dopamine including human serum and urine were analysed using this turn-on sensor and showed excellent recovery percentage. The developed fluorescent sensor offered high selectivity for dopamine over other catecholamines and aminoacids with detection limit as low as 0.7 μM.     

Water-soluble fluorescent boronic acid compounds for saccharide sensing: substituent effects on their fluorescence properties

Four new naphthalene-based boronic acid compounds (1-4) were synthesized. The effect of various carbohydrates on their fluorescence properties has been studied in aqueous phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. Different substitutions on the aniline group of the naphthalene ring resulted in significant differences in fluorescence properties for these four compounds. Compound 1 shows ratiometric fluorescence changes upon addition of a sugar. Compounds 2 and 3 do not show ratiometric fluorescence changes but show very large fluorescence intensity changes (about 70-fold fluorescence intensity increase). In addition to the quantifiable fluorescence property changes upon sugar addition, the fluorescence color changes of 1-3 are also visible to the naked eye. However, amidation of the aniline nitrogen atom significantly diminishes the fluorescence intensity of compound 4. The crystal structure of one boronic acid provided some insight into the structural features that are important for the fluorescence properties of these compounds.     

Enantioselective fluorescent sensor for dibenzoyl tartrate anion based on chiral binaphthyl derivatives bearing an amino acid unit

The fluorescent photoinduced electron transfer (PET) chemosensors 1–3 based on (S)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol were designed for their recognition of dibenzoyl tartrate anions. The binding properties for hydroxy acid anions were examined by the fluorescence and ¹H NMR spectra. The results indicated that receptor 1 exhibit excellent enantioselectivity toward the enantiomers of dibenzoyl tartrate anion.     

A colorimetric boronic acid based sensing ensemble for carboxy and phospho sugars

[structure: see text] A cadmium-centered tris-boronic acid receptor was synthesized, and its binding properties toward various anionic sugars were determined. This receptor shows high affinity for different anionic sugars, especially gluconic acid, which has an association constant near approximately 10(7) M(-)(1) at neutral pH. Further, using an indicator displacement assay, a color change of pyrocatechol violet was observed upon addition of anionic sugars. This colorimetric test was used as a facile screening technique to qualitatively analyze guest affinities.     

Synthesis of three fluorescent boronic acid sensors for tumor marker Sialyl Lewis X in cancer diagnosis

Sialyl Lewis X (sLex) is a carbohydrate that is considered not only a marker for cancer, but also an antigen associated with the malignant behavior of cancerous cells. We have synthesized three fluorescent boronic acid sensors as potential sensors for sLex. Photoinduced electron transfer by a fluorescence analyzer was used to assess sensor-sLex antigen binding. The reaction was carried out in mixed aqueous solution, and Sensor 3 was identified as showing the strongest fluorescence enhancement upon binding to sLex at 10 nM. In cell-line culture experiments, Sensor 1 was shown to label sLex expression positively for HepG2, Colo 205, and COS-7 cells, and negatively for MDA-MB-231 cells; Sensor 2 did so positively for HepG2, PLC/PRF/5, and Colo 205 cells, and negatively for MDA-MB-231 and COS7 cells; and Sensor 3 did so positively for PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 cells, and negatively for MDA-MD-231 and COS7 cells. MTT cytotoxicity experiment results showed that the three sensors are nontoxic, and Hoechst 33258 experiments showed that no apoptosis occurred.     

Highly enantioselective fluorescent sensor for chiral recognition of amino acid derivatives

A highly enantioselective fluorescent sensor, containing benzylaminomethyl groups at 3,3′-position of 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL), has been used to conduct the chiral recognition of α-amino acid derivatives. It is observed that one enantiomer of N-Boc-proline can increase the fluorescence intensity of the binaphthyl fluorophores by over 57-fold, while the other enantiomer can cause only sixfold fluorescence enhancement. Such unusually highly enantioselective response demonstrates that this sensor is potentially useful in the enantioselective recognition of amino acid derivatives.     

Pyrenoviologen-based fluorescent sensor for detection of picric acid in aqueous solution

Two highly emissive pyrenoviologen derivatives were synthesized and used to fabricate fluorescent sensors for detection of picric acid (PA) with good sensitivity and selectivity.