Wavelength-ratiometric and colorimetric probes for glucose determination

We characterize two new water-soluble probes, m- and p-NBDPBA, which show notable changes in their absorption spectra in the presence of monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose. Subsequently glucose concentrations can readily be determined in the physiological glucose concentration range in a wavelength-ratiometric and colorimetric manner. m-NBDPBA has a dissociation constant of 204 mM for glucose, which is not unlike other mono-phenyl boronic acid derived probes. In addition we have also synthesized a control compound, NBDP, which does not contain the boronic acid moiety and is therefore insensitive to sugars, to help rationale the spectral changes observed.