Synthesis of a fluorescent boronic acid which reversibly binds to cell walls and a diboronic acid which agglutinates erythrocytes

N-(5-dimethylamino-1-napthalene sulfonyl)-3-aminobenzene boronic acid (Dns-PBA) and N,N′-$\text{bis}$-3(dihydroxylborylbenzene)adipamide (Bis-PBA) were synthesized. The former is found to reversibly associate with $\text{Bacillus}$$\text{subtilis}$, apparently through boronate diester linkages with carbohydrates on the cell surface. The latter displays the lectin-like property of agglutinating red blood cells.