A series of 3-hydroxyflavone (3-HF) ESIPT (excited-state intramolecular proton transfer) boronate-based fluorescent probes have been developed for the detection of peroxynitrite (ONOO–). The dyes are environmentally sensitive, and each probe exhibited a ratiometric response toward ONOO– in a micellar environment. The probes were used to image different aggregation states of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the presence of ONOO–. The 3-HF-OMe probe was found to produce a ratiometric response toward ONOO– when bound to Aβ aggregates, resulting in a novel host–guest ensemble, which adds insight into the development of other ESIPT-based probes for the simultaneous sensing of fibrous proteins/peptides and environmental ROS/RNS.

Boronic acids can reversibly bind diols, a molecular feature that is ubiquitous within saccharides, leading to their use in the design and implementation of sensors for numerous saccharide species. There is a growing understanding of the importance of saccharides in many biological processes and systems; while saccharide or carbohydrate sensing in medicine is most often associated with detection of glucose in diabetes patients, saccharides have proven to be relevant in a range of disease states. Herein the relevance of carbohydrate sensing for biomedical applications is explored, and this review seeks to outline how the complexity of saccharides presents a challenge for the development of selective sensors and describes efforts that have been made to understand the underpinning fluorescence and binding mechanisms of these systems, before outlining examples of how researchers have used this knowledge to develop ever more selective receptors.

Supramolecular chemistry has successfully built a foundation of fundamental understanding. However, with this now achieved, we show how this area of chemistry is moving out of the laboratory towards successful commercialisation.

Solution dependent self-association leads to the production of tuneable hydrogels and spherical aggregates with antimicrobial activity against MRSA and E. coli.

Herein we report 50 structurally related supramolecular selfassociating amphiphilic (SSA) salts and related compounds. These SSAs are shown to act as antimicrobial agents, active against model Gram-positive (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and/or Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria of clinical interest. Through a combination of solution-state, gasphase, solid-state and in silico measurements, we determine 14 different physicochemical parameters for each of these 50 structurally related compounds. These parameter sets are then used to identify molecular structure-physicochemical propertyantimicrobial activity relationships for our model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, while simultaneously providing insight towards the elucidation of SSA mode of antimicrobial action.