MOLECULAR IMPRINTING OF FLAT POLYCONDENSED AROMATIC-MOLECULES IN MACROPOROUS POLYMERS

2,6-Diaminoanthroquinone (DAAQ) has been used as a non-covalently bound template in order to generate shape-selective cavities in crosslinked porous polymers based on ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and divinylbenzene (DVB). Dimethylsulphoxide was used as a solvent and porogen. When acrylic and methacrylic acid were employed to form a complementary binding site within the cavity, there was no evidence for selective resorption of DAAQ and hence no evidence for shape-selective cavity formation. However, when a monomer containing sulphonic acid groups was used in place of the polymerizable carboxylic acids, stronger interaction with DAAQ was achieved and shape-selective cavities within polymers were formed as indicated by the selective resorption of DAAQ by such polymers relative to analogous non-templated polymers. Similarly selective sorption of non-functional anthracene, with a similar framework to DAAQ, was also demonstrated, confirming the shape-selective nature of the cavities.