Functional monomers imprinting

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be prepared according to a number of approaches that are different in the way the template is linked to the functional monomer and subsequently to the polymeric binding sites (Fig. 6-1). Thus, the template can be linked and subsequently recognized by virtually any combination of cleavable covalent bonds, metal ion co-ordination or noncovalent bonds. The first example of molecular imprinting of organic network polymers introduced by Wulff was based on a covalent attachment strategy i.e. covalent monomer-template, covalent polymer-template [12]. 

PMAA refers to polymers imprinted with respective base using MAA as functional monomer. 

Alternative approaches to imprint peptides via strong monomer template association have recently been reported, although no results of the chromatographic application of these phases have been shown. Strong complexation inducing a (3-sheet conformation was possible using a designed functional monomer (21) [71]. Peptides... 

Considering functional group complementarity, other commodity monomers may also be used. Thus for templates containing acid groups, basic functional monomers are preferably chosen. The 2- or 4-vinylpyridines (VPY) are particularly well-suited for the imprinting of carboxylic acid templates and provide selectivities of the same... 

Fig. 6-10. Influence of the number of basic interaction sites of the template versus the separation factor measured in chromatography for the corresponding racemate. The templates were imprinted using MAA as functional monomer by thermochemical initiation at 60/90/120 °C (24 h at each temperature) and using acetonitrile as porogen. (From Sellergren et al. [15].)...

Molecular imprinting can be accomplished in two ways (a), the self assembly approach and (b), the preorganisation approach3. The first involves host guest complexes produced from weak intermolecular interactions (such as ionic or hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding) between the analyte molecule and the functional monomers. The self assembled complexes are spontaneously formed in the liquid phase and are sterically fixed by polymerisation. After extraction of the analyte, vacant recognition sites specific for the imprint are established. Monomers used for self assembly are methacrylic acid, vinylpyridine and dimethylamino methacrylate. 

Fig. 1. Preparation of configurational biomimetic imprinted networks for molecular recognition of biological substrates. A Solution mixture of template, functional monomer(s) (triangles and circles), crosslinking monomer, solvent, and initiator (I). B The prepolymerization complex is formed via covalent or noncovalent chemistry. C The formation of the network. D Wash step where original template is removed. E Rebinding of template. F In less crosslinked systems, movement of the macromolecular chains will produce areas of differing affinity and specificity (filled molecule is isomer of template).

FIGURE 1.49 Principle of molecular imprinting.169 1 = functional monomers 2 = cross-linking monomer 3 = molecule whose imprint is desired (molecular template). In (A), 1 and 2 form a complex with 3 and hold it in position in (B), polymerization involving 1 2 occurs and the template (imprint molecule) is held in the polymeric structure in (C) and (D) the imprint molecule is removed leaving a cavity complementary to its size and shape into which a target analyte of similar dimensions can fit. (Reproduced with permission from Taylor Francis.)... 

Again, the imprinted films show high selectivity towards parathion in comparison to similar organophosphates. The binding has been shown to be very sensitive to the type of functional monomer used for imprinting, and that rational design of the matrix components is an... 

The imprinting process shown schematically in Fig. 21 involves the preorganization of functional monomer molecules such as methacrylic acid and... 

Fig. 21. Molecular imprinting of (R)-propranolol using methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as the crosslinking monomer. (Reprinted with permission from [126], Copyright 1998 Elsevier). The enantiose-lectivity of a given polymer is predetermined by the configuration of the ligand, R-propranolol present during its preparation. Since the imprinted enantiomer possesses a higher affinity for the polymer, the separation is obtained with a predictable elution order of the enantiomers...

Fig. 1. Concept of molecular imprinting - the non-covalent approach. 1. Self-assembly of template with functional monomers. 2. Polymerization in the presence of a cross-linker. 3. Extraction of the template from the imprinted polymer network. 4. Selective recognition of the template molecule...

The use of a p-vinylphenyl boronate as functional monomer to be covalently linked with a diol-template [2] is demonstrated in Fig. 2. Following polymerization in the presence of a cross-linker, the template has to be extracted from the polymer network. This requires breaking the covalent bond. During the application of covalently imprinted materials, the target molecules have to reform such bonds in order to be retained. Both making and breaking the bonds is at best a time-consuming process. 

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