Molecularly imprinted polymer hydrogels displaying isomerically resolved glucose binding

Non-covalent molecular imprinting of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAA HCl) with glucose phosphate mono-sodium salt produced molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) hydrogels capable of quantitative, isomerically specific binding of glucose. By ionic association of a template molecule, glucose phosphate mono-sodium salt, to the polymer prior to covalent crosslinking, MIP hydrogels were created with an affinity for binding glucose. In this study we have synthesized MIPs using epichlorohydrin, ethylene glucol diglycidyl ether, and glycerol diglycidyl ether as crosslinkers in order to evaluate their effectiveness with respect to molecular imprinting for glucose. MIP hydrogels were also synthesized with the different crosslinkers and varying amounts of the template molecule in an attempt to elucidate the impact of imprint quantities on the effectiveness of the imprinting technique. Batch equilibration studies, using each of the MIPs and similar non-molecularly imprinted polymers were performed to determine their binding capacities with respect to glucose and fructose. The binding capacity data are discussed and employed in the evaluation of the specificity imparted by the imprinting procedure. MIP hydrogels with binding capacities in excess of 0.5 g of glucose per gram of dried gel were synthesized. Isomeric specificity in hydrogels imprinted for glucose was demonstrated by higher binding capacities of glucose than those of fructose in the same polymers.