pH-regulated interaction modes between cyanidin-3-glucoside and phenylboronic acid-modified alginate

Stabilizing mechanisms through covalent and non-covalent interactions have been studied along the years for color stabilization of anthocyanin dyes. In this work, the chemical functionalization of a natural and biocompatible marine-based polysaccharide (alginic acid) with 3-aminophenylboronic acid via carbodiimide coupling chemistry was carried out in order to create a bifunctional material for pH-dependent selective interaction with colored cyanidin-3-glucoside chemical species. The interaction studies were performed by UV–Vis, 1H, and 11B NMR spectroscopy. Overall, the apparent acidic and hydration constants are more stabilized in the presence of phenylboronic acid-modified alginate. For more acidic pH values the red cationic flavylium cation of cyanidin-3-glucoside mainly interacts through non-covalent electrostatic interactions with the carboxylate groups of the biopolymer derivative with association constant around 0.5 mM−1 while at higher pH values boronate-catechol covalent bonds are favored, promoting the stabilization of the colored neutral and anionic quinoidal bases of anthocyanins instead of colorless hemiketal and chalcones.