First steps towards conformationally selective artificial lectins: the chair-boat discrimination by molecularly imprinted polymersElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis of template and polymers and detailed procedure of the binding studies by HPLC. See DOI: 10.1039/c2cc35386e

A series of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared in the presence of a synthetic galactoside locked in a 1,4 B boat conformation. This study demonstrates that, depending on the polymerisation technique, an organic material can selectively bind a carbohydrate in a biologically relevant boat conformation. This study demonstrates that molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can selectively bind a carbohydrate in a biologically relevant boat conformation.