An Expeditious Synthesis of DPD and Boron Binding Studies SemmelhackMartin F. CampagnaShawn R. J. FederleMichael BasslerBonnie L. 2005 A practical synthesis has been developed for DPD (4,5-dihydroxypentane-2,3-dione), an unstable small molecule that is proposed to be the source of universal signaling agents for quorum sensing in bacteria. The synthesis allows preparation of isotopically labeled DPD and ent-DPD as well as detailed studies of spontaneous binding to borate to give the unusual borate complex <b>6</b>, the signal for marine bacteria such as <i>Vibrio</i> <i>harveyi</i>.