Molecularly Imprinted Nanospheres by Nonaqueous Emulsion Polymerization

The preparation of nanosized, molecularly imprinted polymer particles by nonaqueous emulsion polymerization is presented. Monodisperse cross‐linked polymer nanospheres with a diameter of around 100 nm were synthesized using a standard monomer mixture of methacrylic acid and ethylene dimethacrylate, containing (±)‐propranolol as a template. The rebinding efficiency of the resulting particles was determined by batch rebinding tests and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The results indicate that the proposed imprinting process under nonaqueous conditions lead to particles with an enhanced capacity of template rebinding compared to both nonimprinted ones and to particles obtained by more conventional emulsion polymerization in water. Monodisperse, molecularly imprinted polymer nanospheres with a diameter of around 100nm, were synthesized by nonaqueous emulsion polymerization. Batch rebinding and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies demonstrate that the particles exhibit an enhanced capacity of rebinding the template (±)‐propranolol compared to nonimprinted samples.