1,2- and 1,3-diol-containing biomolecules

1,2- and 1,3-diol-containing biomolecules represent a broad class of biological compounds characterized by the presence of hydroxyl groups on adjacent or alternate carbon atoms. This category includes essential molecules such as monosaccharides, ribonucleosides, catecholamines, and various glycoproteins and glycolipids (Springsteen & Wang, 2002, Tetrahedron). These motifs are critical for biological processes including energy metabolism, cell-cell recognition, and signal transduction. In pharmacology and diagnostics, these diol groups serve as chemical handles for reversible covalent bonding with boronic acid derivatives, forming cyclic boronate esters (Bull et al., 2013, ACS Chemical Biology). This interaction is exploited in the development of glucose-responsive insulin delivery systems and carbohydrate sensors (Gu et al., 2013, ACS Nano). Additionally, targeted cancer therapies utilize this chemistry to recognize overexpressed sialic acid or other glycans on tumor cell surfaces. However, the ubiquity of diol motifs in the body presents significant challenges for achieving high specificity. Potential off-target interactions with other essential biomolecules like RNA or neurotransmitters remain a major therapeutic hurdle (Wu et al., 2013, Chemical Society Reviews).

Other names

Vicinal diols1,2-diols1,3-diolsPolyolsSaccharidesGlycansCis-diols

Reversible covalent binding through the formation of cyclic boronate esters with boronic acid-based ligands (Springsteen & Wang, 2002, Tetrahedron).