An Unexpected Molecular Imprinting Effect for a Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon, Anthracene, Using Uniform Size Ethylene Dimethacrylate Particles

Abstract

A non-covalent type of molecular imprinting effect toward a polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), viz. anthracene, was studied utilizing uniformly sized ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) polymer particles without functional host monomers. Although polymerization at 0°C initiated by a redox initiation system was expected to afford larger molecular imprinting effect due to stronger and more effective intermolecular interaction between the template and surface functional groups of the polymer, almost no imprinting effect was observed, while a much higher polymerization temperature of 70°C unexpectedly afforded a larger molecular imprinting effect for the template anthracene. In order to determine the unexpected imprinting effects observed, uniformly sized, macroporous un-imprinting EDMA polymer particles (base particles) were prepared by various polymerization techniques at different polymerization temperature as well as with different initiation systems. The careful studies proved that each kind of base polymer particle showed different molecular recognition ability, especially toward anthracene, which is depends upon the physical properties of each kind of base polymer particle. On the basis of these facts, we would propose that the potential molecular recognition ability of the un-imprinted base polymer particles is another important factor for realization of effective molecular imprinting alongside the factors reported previously.