Molecular imprinting technology (MIT), often described as a method of making a molecular lock to match a molecular key, is a technique for the creation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with tailor-made binding sites complementary to the template molecules in shape, size and functional groups. Owing to their unique features of structure predictability, recognition specificity and application universality, MIPs have found a wide range of applications in various fields. Herein, we propose to comprehensively review the recent advances in molecular imprinting including versatile perspectives and applications, concerning novel preparation technologies and strategies of MIT, and highlight the applications of MIPs. The fundamentals of MIPs involving essential elements, preparation procedures and characterization methods are briefly outlined. Smart MIT for MIPs is especially highlighted including ingenious MIT (surface imprinting, nanoimprinting, etc.), special strategies of MIT (dummy imprinting, segment imprinting, etc.) and stimuli-responsive MIT (single/dual/multi-responsive technology). By virtue of smart MIT, new formatted MIPs gain popularity for versatile applications, including sample pretreatment/chromatographic separation (solid phase extraction, monolithic column chromatography, etc.) and chemical/biological sensing (electrochemical sensing, fluorescence sensing, etc.). Finally, we propose the remaining challenges and future perspectives to accelerate the development of MIT, and to utilize it for further developing versatile MIPs with a wide range of applications (650 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/17045/1/Molecular%20imprinting%20perspectives%20and%20applications.pdf

Molecular imprinting: perspectives and applications

Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) concerns formation of selective sites in a polymer matrix with the memory of a template. Recently, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have aroused extensive attention and been widely applied in many fields, such as solid-phase extraction, chemical sensors and artificial antibodies owing to their desired selectivity, physical robustness, thermal stability, as well as low cost and easy preparation. With the rapid development of MIT as a research hotspot, it faces a number of challenges, involving biological macromolecule imprinting, heterogeneous binding sites, template leakage, incompatibility with aqueous media, low binding capacity and slow mass transfer, which restricts its applications in various aspects. This critical review briefly reviews the current status of MIT, particular emphasis on significant progresses of novel imprinting methods, some challenges and effective strategies for MIT, and highlighted applications of MIPs. Finally, some significant attempts in further developing MIT are also proposed (236 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/4853/1/Recent%20advances%20in%20molecular%20imprinting%20technology%20current%20status%2c%20challenges%20and%20highlighted%20applications.pdf

Recent advances in molecular imprinting technology: current status, challenges and highlighted applications

Molecularly imprinted polymers are synthetic receptors for a targeted molecule. As such, they are analogues of the natural antibody–antigen systems. In this review, after a recounting of the early history of the general field, we specifically focus on the application of these polymers as sensors. In these applications, the polymers are paired with a reporting system, which may be electrical, electrochemical, optical, or gravimetric. The presence of the targeted molecule effects a change in the reporting agent, and a calibrated quantity of the target is recorded. In this review, we describe the imprinted polymer production processes, the techniques used for reporting, and the applications of the reported sensors. A brief survey of recent applications to gas-phase sensing is included, but the focus is primarily on the development of sensors for targets in solution. Included among the applications are those designed to detect toxic chemicals, toxins in foods, drugs, explosives, and pathogens. The application...

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

Hongyuan Yan and Kyung Ho Row* Center for Advanced Bioseparation Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun-Dong, Nam-Ku, Incheon, 402–751, Korea * Corresponding author. E-mail: rowkho@inha.ac.kr Received: 12 April 2006 / Accepted: 27 June 2006 / Published: 29 June 2006 Abstract: Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) exhibiting high selectivity and affinity to the predetermined molecule (template) are now seeing a fast growing research. However, optimization of the imprinted products is difficult due to the fact that there are many variables to consider, some or all of which can potentially impact upon the chemical, morphological and molecular recognition properties of the imprinted materials. This review present a summary of the principal synthetic considerations pertaining to good practice in the polymerization aspects of molecular imprinting, and is primarily aimed at researcher familiar with molecular imprinting methods but with little or no prior experience in polymer synthesis. The synthesis, characteristic, effect of molecular recognition and different preparation methods of MIP in recent few years are discussed in this review, unsolved problems and possible developments of MIP were also been briefly discussed. Keywords: molecularly imprinted polymer, special molecular recognition, synthetic approach 1. Molecular Imprinting Technology Molecular imprinting technology is a rapidly developing technique for the preparation of polymers having specific molecular recognition properties for a given compound, its analogues or for a single enantiomer [1-3]. Synthesis of MIP is a relatively straightforward and inexpensive procedure. In short, the molecularly imprinted polymer is prepared by mixing the template molecule with functional monomers, cross-linking monomers and a radical initiator in a proper solvent, most often an aprotic and non polar solvent. Subsequently, this pre-polymerization mixture is irradiated with UV light or

/pdf/characteristic-and-synthetic-approach-of-molecularly-4qg1pl3pgs.pdf

Characteristic and synthetic approach of molecularly imprinted polymer

Molecular imprinted polymer is an artificial receptor made by imprinting molecules of a template in a polymer matrix followed by removing the template molecules via thorough washing to give the permanent template grooves. They show favored affinity to the template molecule compared to other molecules, and this property is the basic driving force for such diverse application of this techniques. Such techniques have been increasingly employed in a wide scope of applications such as chromatography, sample pretreatment, purification, catalysts, sensors, and drug delivery, etc., mostly in bioanalytical areas. A major part of them is related to development of new stationary phases and their application in chromatography and sample pretreatment. Embodiments of molecular imprinted polymer materials have been carried out in a variety of forms such as irregularly ground particles, regular spherical particles, nanoparticles, monoliths in a stainless steel or capillary column, open tubular layers in capillaries, surface attached thin layers, membranes, and composites, etc. There have been numerous review articles on molecular imprinted polymer issues. In this special review, the reviews in recent ca. 10 years will be categorized into several subgroups according to specified topics in separation science, and each review in each subgroup will be introduced in the order of date with brief summaries and comments on new developments and different scopes of prospects. Brief summaries of each categories and conclusive future perspectives are also given.

Molecular imprinted polymers for separation science: a review of reviews.

As a new generation of stationary phases, monolithic supports have attracted significant interest in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) because of their ease of preparation, high reproducibility, versatile surface chemistry and rapid mass transport. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic materials with high specific recognition ability to template molecule. The combination of monolithic column and MIPs integrates the high efficiency of modern chromatography and the high selectivity provided by MIPs. This review focuses on the recent developments and applications of all kinds of monolithic matrix, i.e. organic polymer-based and silica-based MIP monolith in HPLC and CEC mode.

Recent developments and applications of molecularly imprinted monolithic column for HPLC and CEC.

This review focuses on developments in the field of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for CEC since August 2006. New technique of CEC-based MIP, e.g. covalent approach through the formation of Schiff base, miniemulsion polymerization, non-hydrolytic sol-gel methodology, MIP-derivatized silica monolithic column, are discussed from the view of MIP preparation. Some thoughts on potential future directions are also expressed in this review.

Recent developments of molecularly imprinted polymer in CEC.

Macromolecular crowding of molecular imprinting: A facile pathway to produce drug delivery devices for zero-order sustained release.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthesized in the presence of a template which results in the formation of specific recognition cavities complementary to the template in shape and chemical functionality. One of the most successful application areas of MIPs is chromatographic sorbents, which are tailor-made synthetic polymers for a given analyte. However, low efficiency of MIP columns is often observed because of slow kinetics of the template. CEC-based MIPs are thought to improve efficiency of MIP-based separation due to the enhanced flow dynamics of CEC. Another attractive feature is the miniaturized format of CEC, so that fewer templates or monomers for the molecular imprinting are consumed, a characteristic desired for 'green chemistry'. The small dimensions of a capillary demand the development of novel polymer formats that can be applied to a miniaturized system. This review discusses the various formats, i.e., the micro- or nanoparticle, the coating and the monolith, for application in CEC as well as the use in MIP syntheses and characteristics.

Molecularly imprinted polymers as a tool for separation in CEC.

Molecularly imprinted monoliths integrate the high permeability of monolithic materials and the high selectivity and affinity of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP). Thus, in recent years, development of this novel MIP format in HPLC has expanded quickly, particularly use of organic materials. This review focuses on the principal aspects of good practice in polymerization, theoretical studies, and recent developments in molecularly imprinted monoliths. Some thoughts on perspectives of MIP monoliths are also expressed.

Zhao-Sheng Liu

Papers

Recent developments and applications of molecularly imprinted monolithic column for HPLC and CEC.

Recent developments of molecularly imprinted polymer in CEC.

Macromolecular crowding of molecular imprinting: A facile pathway to produce drug delivery devices for zero-order sustained release.

Molecularly imprinted polymers as a tool for separation in CEC.

Synthesis and theoretical study of molecularly imprinted monoliths for HPLC.