Phenylboronic acid biomaterials: from chemical principles to material design

Abstract

Phenylboronic acid (PBA) and its derivatives have become an important platform for the construction of advanced functional biomaterials due to their unique chemistry. We systematically explore the key chemical properties of PBA and their applications in biomaterial design. The main topics include: 1) the Lewis acidity of PBA, in particular the formation of boron‑nitrogen (BN) coordination bonds with nitrogen-containing compounds, and its applications in drug loading, bioorthogonal chemistry, and molecular sensing, 2) the reversible covalent esterification between PBA and cis-diols, its responsiveness to pH and glucose, as well as its sensitivity to reactive oxygen species (ROS) collectively constitute the basis of its multi-stimuli responsiveness, 3) taking phenylboronic ester hydrogels as an example, the discussion is on the regulation of macroscopic properties and responsive behaviors through precise structural design of PBA units and diol units. This review emphasizes that an in-depth understanding of the chemistry of PBA is crucial for the rational design of next-generation biomaterials with specific functions (e.g., targeted delivery, smart response, and real-time monitoring), providing theoretical guidance and design ideas to promote their applications in drug delivery, biosensing, and tissue engineering.