Molecular imprinting of cyclodextrin in water for the recognition of nanometer-scaled guests

Acryloyl-cyclodextrins were synthesized as functional vinyl monomers, and various antibiotics and oligopeptides were molecularly-imprinted to them in water. The imprinting promoted the binding activity toward the template compared with non-imprinted polymer. The imprinting effect was eminent when the template involved more than two hydrophobic residues on a rigid molecular-frame. From Langmuir analysis, the promotion of binding by the imprinting was attributed to the increase in the binding constant, not increase in the number of binding sites. The present imprinting also provided eminent guest selectivity including enantioselectivity.