Abstract: Disclosed is a phenyl boronic acid compound represented by Structural Formula (I): Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group. Z and Z? are independently —O—, —NH— or —S—. X is an electron withdrawing group. R is a substituted or unsubstituted straight chained hydrocarbyl group optionally comprising one or more amine, ammonium, ether, thioether or phenylene linking groups and Y is —H, an amine, —[NH—(CH2)q]r—NH2, halogen, —CF3, thiol, ammonium, alcohol, —COOH, —SO3H, —OSO3H or phosphonium group covalently bonded to the terminal position of R. Each —NH— in —[NH—(CH2)q]r—NH2 is optionally N-alkylated or N,N-dialkylated and —NH2 in —[NH—CH2)q]r—NH2 is optionally N-alkylated, N,N-dialkylated or N,N,N-trialkylated. q is an integer from 2 to about 10 and r is an integer from 1 to about 5.