Oriented Immobilization-based Molecular Imprinting for Constructing Nanocavities Capable of Precise Molecular Recognition

Abstract

Precise molecular recognition is required for various research and industrial fields, like sensing materials and pharmaceuticals. Oriented template immobilization-based molecular imprinting has been developed for creating artificial molecular recognition materials with high affinity and selectivity towards various target molecules, including small molecules, proteins, and glycoproteins. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are artificial polymer-based molecular recognition materials. The molecular imprinting process involves a template polymerization approach, where the molecular complex of functional monomers and the template molecule is copolymerized by using crosslinking agents and a comonomer, followed by removal of the template molecules from the polymer matrix, yielding molecular recognition nanocavities bearing multiple interaction sites. The oriented immobilization of template molecules and precision polymer synthesis with strictly controlled polymer thickness produces precise molecular recognition cavities in MIPs. To date, the proposed oriented template immobilization-based molecular imprinting process has been successfully applied to polymeric thin-layer-based materials, affording highly sensitive and selective sensing materials. This approach can be applied to materials of various shapes, including particle-based materials, which leads to high-affinity chromatography agents and nanoparticle-based pharmaceutical materials. Therefore, the novel strategy based on molecular imprinting described herein can be applied to create various intelligent materials.