A simple ratiometric fluorescent sensor for fructose based on complexation of 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinoline with boronic acid

•A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for fructose was presented.•It consisted of 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinoline (HBQ) and boronic acid.•The principle relied on competition between fructose and HBQ for boronic acid.•This sensor was simple, inexpensive, stable and sensitive.

A simple ratiometric fluorescent sensor for fructose was presented. It consisted of 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinoline (HBQ) which showed emission at 572 nm and 3-pyridylboronic acid (PDBA) whose complex with HBQ gave emission at 500 nm. The reaction of fructose with PDBA inhibited the complexation of HBQ with PDBA, resulting in the change of dual-emission intensity ratio. The sensor well quantified fructose in the range of 0.015-2.5 mM with detection limit of 0.005 mM. Besides, this sensor exhibited excellent selectivity and was successfully applied to fructose detection in food. This work provides a simple ratiometric sensing platform for sensitive and selective detection of fructose.

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