Novel chiral recognition elements for molecularly imprinted polymer preparation
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Updated: Oct 24, 2026

Ultrasensitive Detection of Biomarkers by Using a Molecular Imprinting Based Capacitive Biosensor
Published on: February 16, 2018
M Knutsson1, H S Andersson, I A Nicholls
1Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Kalmar, Sweden.
Abstract:
The use of a novel chiral functional monomer system in molecular imprinting protocols is described. The monomer, dibenzyl (2R,3R)-O-monoacryloyl tartrate, possesses a hydroxyl moiety which can be used to direct template-functional monomer interactions during molecular imprinting polymerization. This system simultaneously positions benzyl ester-protected carboxyl groups in close proximity to the template, which upon deprotection yield recognition sites with stronger ligand-binding capacities. Furthermore, the inherent chirality of the monomer engenders the polymer with an inbuilt preference for a given stereoisomer. Application of the system to the molecular imprinting of the cinchonidine alkaloids (+)-cinchonine and (-)-cinchonidine yielded stereoselective polymers. The effect of imprinting (+)-cinchonine produced a polymer which more than reversed the inherent chiral selectivity of the chiral monomer residues present in the matrix.
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