Abstract: This paper describes the rational design and testing of a new metal-complexing imprinted polymer with enhanced selectivity for Quercetin (Quercetin is a kind of flavonoid which is an important active ingredient of Chinese herbs.). The complex of Quercetin and Cu(II) (Qu-Cu) was used as a template molecule and the mixed solution of methanol and tetrahydrofuran was used as the porogenic solvent. UV-visible spectra was useful to assess the rational ratio of Quercetin to Cu(II). And the evaluation of the various polymers by binding assays revealed that the optimal ratio of the functional monomer to the template was 4:1. The effect of porogenic solvent on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and equilibrium binding experiments. MIPs were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR). The adsorption behavior for substrates indicated that compared with Quercetin's structural analogs (Rutin and Naringenin), MIPs exhibited significant adsorption selectivity for Qu in the presence of Cu(II). The separation factors were 5.38 and 7.23, respectively
Template and target information: quercetin
Author keywords: adsorption behavior, Cu(II), enhanced selectivity, metal-complexing imprinted polymer, quercetin