Combinatorial molecular imprinting: An approach to synthetic polymer receptors

A novel method for synthesizing and evaluating artificial receptors is demo nstrated, combining a molecular imprinting concept and a combinatorial chem istry strategy. Combinatorial libraries of molecularly imprinted polymers ( MIPs) were prepared and screened for high affinity and selectivity to the o riginal template by a newly developed semiautomatic system. The preparation of MIPs was automatically performed using programmed liquid-handling equip ment with a new in situ molecular imprinting protocol whereby MIP is prepar ed on the bottom surface of each glass vial, followed by an automated discr ete binding test with the programmed liquid handler. MIPs as artificial rec eptors for triazine herbicides, ametryn and atrazine, were prepared by the combinatorial molecular imprinting using a diverse amount of two functional monomers, methacrylic acid (MAA) and 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid (TFMA A). Examining the MIP libraries, it appears that, depending upon the functi onal monomer used, the imprinting efficiency is different for each triazine herbicide; MAA is preferred for the atrazine receptor preparation and TFMA A for the ametryn receptor preparation. The results suggest that the propos ed high-throughput combinatorial molecularly imprinting technique is a prom ising method for finding optimal conditions of MIP preparation for given mo lecules.