A boronic acid-based fluorescent hydrogel for monosaccharide detection

A boronic acid-based anthracene fluorescent probe was functionalised with an acrylamide unit to incorporate into a hydrogel system for monosaccharide detection. In solution, the fluorescent probe displayed a strong fluorescence turn-on response upon exposure to fructose, and an expected trend in apparent binding constants, as judged by a fluorescence response where d–fructose > d–galactose > d–mannose > d–glucose. The hydrogel incorporating the boronic acid monomer demonstrated the ability to detect monosaccharides by fluorescence with the same overall trend as the monomer in solution with the addition of d–fructose resulting in a 10-fold enhancement (⩽ 0.25 mol/L).