Themed collection In celebration of Seiji Shinkai's 70th Birthday

Current progress on hierarchical supramolecules using boronic acids has been highlighted in this feature article. The feasibility of the structure-directing ability is fully discussed from the standpoint of the generation of new smart materials.

This review covers advances in anion complexation in the years 2011 and 2012.

Saccharide-selective supramolecular sensors based on boronic acids, with a focus on using self-assembly of multiple boronic acids to target multivalent saccharide analytes.

A galatosyl azidonaphthalimide probe is developed for the selective, fluorogenic imaging of hepatocellular H₂S.

A modular adaptor assists efficient occupation of specific addresses on DNA nanostructures by proteins of interest through a covalent linkage.

White-light emissive boronate nanoparticles have been prepared, which exhibit reversible and thermo-responsive emission in the investigated temperature range (5–65 °C) with a temperature sensitivity of 1.1% K⁻¹ in water.

We demonstrate that ligand-directed tosyl (LDT) chemistry is applicable to off-target identification in live cells.

Conjugated polymers encapsulated by the identical cyclic sidechains afford an effective host–guest ensemble for designing fluorescent polymeric materials.

Copper ions are essential for many biological processes.

A ¹⁹F NMR indicator displacement assay detects phosphorylated analytes with amplified signal intensity.

The novel supramolecular sensors induced by the clockwise twisted structures due to multi-point recognition in water.

Pseudo[2]rotaxane orientational isomers can be stereocontrolled by exploiting the electron-withdrawing or electron-donating effects of para-substituted dibenzylammonium axles threaded through a calix-wheel.

Defocused wide-field fluorescence microscopy visualized slow tautomerization of the emission transition dipole moment of single H₂Pc at an air/glass interface.

New GALA-related peptide amphiphiles were designed and the influence of their self-assembling propensity and the secondary structure on the membrane permeability was studied.

The first example of a catenane synthesised using a nitrate anion template is demonstrated. The resulting interlocked host is capable of selectively recognising nitrate over a range of more basic oxoanions in a competitive organic–aqueous solvent mixture.

Attachment of the Hoechst tag to fluorescent molecules allows the creation of (turn-on) fluorescent nucleus-imaging probes.

INHIBIT logic gates based on light-driven β-cyclodextrin pseudo[1]rotaxane were fabricated conveniently utilizing reversible ICD and RTP as output addresses respectively.

The development of first examples of [2]- and [3]catenanes using lanthanide directed synthesis is described, which was analysed by NMR, UV-vis, luminescent spectroscopies as well as by HRMS.

A novel bispyrene compound was synthesized to selectively detect RNA through excimer emission “turn-on” at physiological pH.

A fluorescence sensing system for inorganic pyrophosphate based on ligand exchange of the Ce(III) complex of a xanthene-type probe is developed.

A novel near-infrared (NIR) and colorimetric fluorescent molecular probe based on a dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran chromophore for the selective detection of glutathione in living cells has been developed.

We have directly observed the processes involved in a C₇₀-exchange reaction from γ-cyclodextrin cavities to lipid membranes using GUVs by phase contrast microscopy.

In the present study, we developed a novel surface-coated nanocarrier (SCN) for efficient and stable encapsulation of a poorly water-soluble anticancer agent, camptothecin (CPT).

An amphiphilic donor–acceptor dye can provide red light emission in water in an aggregate state.

Calix[4]resorcinarene-based cavitand recognized the methyl group of the guests to form 1 : 1 host–guest complexes. In the solid state, the cavitand formed a dimeric capsule in which two molecules of nitromethane were entrapped by weak noncovalent interactions.

A boronate hydrogel film was developed as a multicolor fluorescent sensor for the visual determination of heavy metal ions.

A boron–dibenzopyrromethene dye with a pinacolboryl group has been newly synthesized for the use as a reaction-based chemosensor. A TLC plate coated by the dye enables us to detect H₂O₂ vapor visually.

Calix[4]arenes often form dimeric capsules or up-down bilayer arrangements in the solid state. The head-to-tail polymeric columnar structure found in the cocrystals composed of 5,17-difunctionalized calix[4]arene 1 and organic guests represents another structural motif for calix[4]arenes.

An efficient chemoselective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde over boronate microparticle-supported nano-palladium and nano-gold catalysts under environmentally benign conditions is reported.

We describe a rational design strategy to develop a latent ratiometric fluorescent pH probe from self-assembled SNARF derivatives in aqueous conditions.

A bis-boronic acid modified electrode for the sensitive and selective determination of glucose concentrations has been developed.

Surface plasmon resonance and self-assembled monolayers on gold generated from a bis-boronic acid can detect glucose with higher affinity than other saccharides, namely galactose, fructose and mannose.