An Esterolytic Imprinted Polymer Prepared via a Silica-Supported Transition State Analogue

In this work we describe a new preparation method for an esterolytic imprinted polymer with catalytic sites on the surface. A template was prepared by immobilizing a transition state analogue (phosphoramidic acid derivative) of an esterolytic reaction within porous silica particles. Polymerization within the pores was carried out using 4-vinylimidazole as a functional monomer and divinylbenzene as a cross-linker. The polymer was released by dissolution of the silica support with hydrofluoric acid and catalytic properties were studied by incubation with three different 4nitrophenylesters and spectrophotometric determination of the released 4-nitrophenol. For 4-nitrophenyl acetate an activity of 211 nmol min-1 mg-1 and a Km value of 2.2 mmol L-1 was obtained