Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Chiral discrimination of monosaccharides using a fluorescent molecular sensor

Abstract

MEANS of distinguishing between enantiomers of a chiral molecule are of critical importance in many areas of analytical chemistry and biotechnology, particularly in drug design and synthesis. In particular, solution-based sensor systems capable of chiral recognition would be of tremendous pharmaceutical value. Here we report the chiral discrimination of D- and L -monosaccharides using a designed receptor molecule that acts as a sensor by virtue of its fluorescent response to binding of the guest species. Our receptor contains boronic acid groups that bind saccharides by covalent interactions; such receptor systems have been much studied previously1–6 for complexation of saccharides, and have an advantage over others based on hydrogen-bonding interactions7–11, for which polar protic solvents such as water can compete with guest binding. Our molecular sensor also incorporates a fluorescent naphthyl moiety; binding of each enantiomer of the monosaccharides alters the fluorescence intensity to differing degrees, enabling them to be distinguished. These water-soluble molecular sensors might form the basis of a quantitative and selective analytical method for saccharides.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Deng, G., James, T. D. & Shinkai, S. J. Am. chem. Soc. 116, 4567–4572 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. James, T. D., Sandanayake, K. R. A. S. & Shinkai, S. J. chem. Soc., chem. Commun. 477–478 (1994).

  3. James, T. D., Sandanayake, K. R. A. S. & Shinkai, S. Angew. Chem. 33, 2207–2209 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Yoon, J. & Czarnik, A. W. J. Am. chem. Soc. 114, 5874–5875 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Morin, G. T., Hughes, M. P., Paugam, M.-F. & Smith, B. D. J. Am. chem. Soc. 116, 8895–8901 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wulff, G. Pure appl. Chem. 54, 2093–2102 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Rebek, J. Jr Angew. Chem. 29, 245–255 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Goswami, S. & Hamilton, A. D. J. Am. chem. Soc. 111, 3425–3426 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kelly, T. R., Zhao, C. & Bridger, G. J. J. Am. chem. Soc. 111, 3744–3745 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Etter, M. C. & Adsmond, D. A. J. chem. Soc., chem. Commun. 589–591 (1990).

  11. Aoyama, Y., Tanaka, Y., Toi, H. & Ogoshi, H. J. Am. chem. Soc. 110, 634–635 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bissel, R. A. et al. Top. Curr. Chem. 168, 223–264 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Czarnik, A. W. Fluorescent Chemosensors for Ion and Molecular Recognition (ACS Books, Washington DC, 1993).

  14. Lorand, J. P. & Edwards, J. D. J. org. Chem. 24, 769–774 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Irie, M., Yorozu, T. & Hayashi, K. J. Am. chem. Soc. 100, 2236–2237 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Yorozu, T., Hayashi, K. & Irie, M. J. Am. chem. Soc. 103, 5480–5484 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Brunner, H. & Goldbrunner, J. Chem. Ber. 122, 2005–2009 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bruner, H. & Wultz, K. New J. Chem. 16, 57–61 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Brunner, H. & Schiessling, H. Angew. Chem. 33, 125–126 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Perrin, D. D. & Dempsey, B. Buffers for pH and Metal Ion Control Ch. 6 (Chapman & Hall, London, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fery-forgues, S., LeBris, M.-T., Guette, J.-P. & Valeur, B. J. phys. Chem. 92, 6233–6237 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

James, T., Samankumara Sandanayake, K. & Shinkai, S. Chiral discrimination of monosaccharides using a fluorescent molecular sensor. Nature 374, 345–347 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374345a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/374345a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing