Recent Advances in the Use of Molecularly Imprinted Materials in Separation and Synthesis

Molecularly imprinted materials, prepared using self-assembly imprinting protocols using only non-covalent interactions, can be used as chromatography media in aqueous phase. The recognition properties are highly dependent on the interacting species used in the imprinting protocol. Ionic interactions, together with strong hydrogen bonding, represent useful means of obtaining recognition. With increasing levels of water in the recognition media, the hydrophobic effect comes into play. Molecularly imprinted materials can furthermore be used as auxiliary agents in enzymatic syntheses in water-saturated organic phases. When materials molecularly imprinted for the reaction product were applied to the thermolysin-catalyzed aspartame synthesis, an increase in yield was observed. Introduction of a thermodynamic trap provided by the molecularly imprinted matrices allowed a non-favorable equilibrium for the thermolysin reaction to be pushed in the forward direction.