A novel amphiphile containing two functional groups of both naphthalene and boronic acid,

2-(hexadecyloxy)-naphthalene-6-boronic acid (HNBA), has been synthesized. Scanning electron

microscopy (SEM) indicated the formation of bilayer vesicles in the ethanol/water solution (? = 0.6).

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) established the presence of crystal-to-liquid crystal transition

at 63.36 ?C. The vesicular fluorescence properties upon binding with carbohydrates have been studied

in ethanol/water buffer at pH 7.4. Addition of saccharides to the vesicular solution, the fluorescent

intensities of naphthalene in HNBA vesicles centered at 348 nm decreased dramatically with increasing

concentration of saccharides. The change tendency of fluorescent intensities of the HNAB vesicles

with concentration of saccharides followed in the order of fructose > galactose > maltose > glucose. The

pH profiles of the fluorescence intensity were studied in the absence and in the presence of sugars. Also,

the urine sample induced spectral changes of the HNBA vesicles were studied. These results suggest that

the HNBA vesicles may be developed as a continuous monitoring and implantable fluorescence vesicular

sensor, which might be applied in the practical field.