Rapid preparation of molecularly imprinted capillary monolithic columns by microwave polymerization

Microwave irradiation was firstly attempted to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers ( MIPs monoliths, which were in situ prepared rapidly with methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as a cross-linking agent, toluene and isooctane as the porogenic solvents and AIBN as an initiator. The baseline separation of isomers of hydroxybenzoic acid was achieved on these monolithic columns with 4-HBA as the template, but not on the blank polymer. Furthermore, some neutral compounds could also be baseline-separated on the imprinted polymer columns in the modes of pressure-driven capillary electrochromatography and low-pressure driven capillary electrochromatography. It was shown that the monoliths were not only used as the molecularly imprinted polymers but also as the reverse phase chromatographic material.