Cross-linking trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate

Figure 5 Selection of common cross-linkers used in molecular imprinting protocols. Both ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) are very common crosslinkers in molecular imprinting. Other acrylate-based cross-linking monomers conunonly used include the branched cross-linker trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM)-[24]. Among the water-soluble cross-linkers, there are phenylene-diacrylamide, V,V-methylene diacrylamide [22], and Z w-acryloylpiperazine [92], which have been used in aqueous systems for the imprinting of, e.g., enzymes.

The template, the functional monomers and the cross-linking monomers are dissolved in a non-polar solvent. The functional monomers and the template form complexes and the strength of these are reflected in the selectivity of the imprinted polymer. The choice of functional monomer is based on the template structure. Functional monomers are chosen for their ability to interact non-covalently with the template molecule. The most frequently used functional monomer so far is methacrylic acid (MAA). Also vinylpyridines have been frequently used. As cross-linking monomers, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) or trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) are widely used. Several other types of functional and cross-linking monomers have been used in molecular imprinting experiments using the non-covalent approach. The choice of monomers is of course important to the... 

Cross-linked supports have also been made by copolymerization of polyethylene glycol terminated with methacrylate groups with cross-linking agents such as trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate.166 This type of resin has also been used as phase-transfer catalysts.167... 

Rasmussen found that copolymers comprising cross-Unked networks of meth-acrylic acid and 2-hydroxy methacrylate, cross-linked with cross-linking agents such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate had tensile strengths well above the tensile strengths of polyacrylamide type materials (Table 4.1) [6]. 

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