Preparation of a functional, highly selective polymer by molecular imprinting. A demonstration with L-p-aminophenylalanine anilide as a template molecule allowing multiple points of attachment.

Abstract

The technique of molecular imprinting was tested using various phenylalanine derivatives. It could be shown that polymers obtained by imprinting with L-p-aminophenylalanine anilide gave best recognition of the original L-form, with separation factors (alpha) above 8, on applying racemic mixtures to the polymer obtained and present in a HPLC column. We believe that these results are due to multiple points of attachment that are possible between print or template (guest) molecules and the formed polymer (host).