Electrochemical sensing using boronic acids

Abstract

Boronic acids can bind with 1,2- or 1,3-diols to form five or six-membered cyclic complexes and also can interact with Lewis bases to generate boronate anions. Therefore, boronic acid functionalised compounds and materials are highly topical and now employed in (i) functional materials, (ii) for attaching/sensing bio-molecules and proteins, and (iii) for microbial electrochemistry as well as being widely developed as chemical sensors and tools in health diagnostics. In this review, we address the recent progress of boronic acid-based electrochemical sensors both in solution processes and surface processes for the detection of biological analytes. This feature article will be of interest to chemists, chemical engineers, biochemists, the sensor community, but also researchers working with protein and microbial systems.

A 3,5‐DistyrylBODIPY Dye Functionalized with Boronic Acid Groups for Direct Electrochemical Glucose Sensing

“…Non-enzymatic sensors also eliminate oxygen-related limitations [10,13]. Boronic acids are small flexible organic molecules that are known for their selective recognition towards carbohydrates [17,18], due to their ability to rapidly and reversibly bind to 1,2-and 1,3-cis-diols in an aqueous environment to form boronate esters [16][17][18][19][20][21]. Recent studies have explored the use of boronic acids for the detection of glucose, since they have an affinity for this carbohydrate [15][16][17].…”

“…Recent studies have explored the use of boronic acids for the detection of glucose, since they have an affinity for this carbohydrate [15][16][17]. Boronic acids are small flexible organic molecules that are known for their selective recognition towards carbohydrates [17,18], due to their ability to rapidly and reversibly bind to 1,2-and 1,3-cis-diols in an aqueous environment to form boronate esters [16][17][18][19][20][21]. Besides being used for molecular carbohy-drate sensing, boronic acids are also used for enzymatic inhibition, cell capturing and culturing and chromatography [22][23][24].…”

Boronic acid recognition of non-interacting carbohydrates for biomedical applications: increasing fluorescence signals of minimally interacting aldoses and sucralose

“…14,15 In contrast, boronic acid recognition of saccharides displays reversible covalent bonding of diols in saccharides to form boronate esters. 12,16 Boronic acid-based methodologies have utilized fluo-rescent 17 or electrochemical 18 means for quantifying the recognition event. Advantages of using boronic acid based chemo-receptors include ease of synthesis, ability to operate in a wide pH range, and ability to be designed around a plethora of possible reporter–recognition systems.…”

Doping Polypyrrole Films with 4-N-Pentylphenylboronic Acid to Enhance Affinity towards Bacteria and Dopamine

“…This interaction has been explored for the development of electrochemical [45, 46] and optical sensors for the detection of saccharides, catechol [47, 48] and bacteria [49]. The interaction between the boronic group and dopamine has been used by several authors to develop specific dopamine sensors [50–52] based on the use, for example, of poly-aniline film containing boronic acid groups [50, 52].…”

“…The interaction between the boronic group and dopamine has been used by several authors to develop specific dopamine sensors [50–52] based on the use, for example, of poly-aniline film containing boronic acid groups [50, 52]. Polymerisable boronic acid derivatives have also been used in the fabrication of dopamine specific molecular imprinted polymers (MIP) [45, 46]. Zhong et al developed a strategy for the synthesis of boronic acid-modified polypyrrole monomer and applied it for fabrication of MIPs suitable for the detection of dopamine at the sub-μM level [53].…”