Molecular design of a new diboronic acid for the electrohydrodynamic monitoring of glucose

A new dicationic diboronic acid structure, DBA2+, was designed to exhibit good affinity (K${}_d$≈1 mm) and selectivity toward glucose. Binding of DBA2+ to glucose changes the pKa of DBA2+ from 9.4 to 6.3, enabling opportunities for detection of glucose at physiological pH. Proton release from DBA2+ is firmly related to glucose concentrations within the physiologically relevant range (0–30 mm), as verified by conductimetric monitoring. Negligible interference from other sugars (for example, maltose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, and galactose) was observed. These results demonstrate the potential of DBA2+ for selective, quantitative glucose sensing. The nonenzymatic strategy based on electrohydrodynamic effects may enable the development of stable, accurate, and continuous glucose monitoring platforms. (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)