Polymeric Materials for Molecular Recognition

Molecular imprinting constitutes a valuable method of preparing polymeric materials with specific binding properties. The most conspicuous merit of molecular imprinting is that structurally three-dimensional recognition sites can be introduced into a polymer matrix with ease and low cost when compared with the complicated process of biological system for antigen and antibody. We used a thermally reversible bond for the preparation of the monomer-template complex, which allowed us to remove the template easily by means of a simple thermal reaction and to simultaneously introduce various functional groups into the cavity. This method is especially propitious for developing artificial receptors for molecules lacking strongly interactive groups.