Enantiomer recognition selective polymerization

Molecular imprinting is a method for the synthesis of polymers with predeterminated selectivity for various compounds. This technique uses noncovalent prearrangement of functional monomers in the presence of the print molecules prior to the polymerization for the creation of highly specific binding sites. After polymerization the print molecules are washed out of the macroporous polymer matrix. The result is a polymer with recognition sites due to the shape of the print molecules. The proper arrangement of the functional groups in the polymer have the affinity for the print molecules. This fact leads to the restriction that the structure of the enantiomers, to be separated, must be very similar to these of the print molecules. 

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