A Biomimetic Synthetic Receptor Selectively Recognising Fucose in Water.

Carbohydrate recognition in water by biomimetic receptors is an attractive, but very challenging goal. Despite advances achieved in glucose recognition, little or no success has been obtained in the recognition of other saccharidic epitopes of paramount importance in biological processes. Herein, the unprecedented recognition of fucose in water by an artificial receptor that shows affinities closely comparable to those of several lectins is reported.