Molecularly imprinted materials, method for their preparation and devices ...

1. A method for molecularly imprinting a material, comprising:

forming a solution comprising a solvent and (a) a polymeric material capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene, (b) a crosslinking agent, (c) a functionalizing monomer, and (d) an imprinting molecule;

evaporating the solvent to leave a residue;

exposing the residue to an energy source, thereby forming a crosslinked polymeric substrate; and

extracting the imprinting molecule from the crosslinked polymeric substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the crosslinking agent satisfies the formula ##STR18## wherein X is a halogen and R is lower alkyl.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein X is fluorine.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the functionalizing monomer satisfies the formula ##STR19## wherein X is a halogen and Y is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --ROH, --SH, --RSH, --CHO, --COOH, COOR, NO.sub.2, --NH.sub.3, --NHR.sub.1 and --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein X is fluorine.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein Y is --COOH.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the imprinting molecule is ##STR20##

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of evaporating further comprises spincoating a surface of a silicon wafer with the solution.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the exposing step comprises exposing the residue to ultraviolet light or an electron beam.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.

11. A method for molecularly imprinting a material, comprising:

forming a solution comprising a solvent and (a) a polymeric material capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene, (b) a crosslinking agent according to the formula ##STR21## wherein R is a lower alkyl group and X is a halogen, (c) a functionalizing monomer according to the formula ##STR22## wherein X is a halogen and Y is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --SH, --CHO, --COOH, --NH.sub.3, --NHR.sub.1 and --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2, and (d) an imprinting molecule;

evaporating the solvent to leave a residue;

exposing the residue to an energy source to form a crosslinked polymeric substrate; and

extracting the imprinting molecule from the crosslinked polymeric substrate.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the polymeric substrate includes chemical moieties selected from a group consisting of --CH, --NH, --OH, --C--C--, --C.dbd.C--, SiO--H, Si--OH, and Si--OSi moieties.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of saturated polyolefins, acrylics, polystyrene, polystyrene analogs, unsaturated polyolefins, polyimides, polyesters, conjugated polymers, conducting polymers, inorganic polymers, organic metals, organometallic polymers, and polysaccharides.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the X of the crosslinking agent is fluorine.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the crosslinking agent is ethylene 1,2-bis(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate).

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein X of the functionalizing monomer is fluorine.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the functionalizing monomer is 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetraflourobenzoic acid.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the imprinting molecule is ##STR23##

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of evaporating the solvent comprises spincoating a silicon wafer with the solution to form a film, and the exposing step comprises exposing the film to an energy source.

20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the energy source is selected from a group consisting of energized electrons, energized ions, photons, and heat.

21. The method according to claim 11 wherein the exposing step comprises exposing preselected regions on the polymeric material to the energy source so as to create a pattern of functionalized regions on the surface relative to non-functionalized regions.

22. The method according to claim 11 wherein the energy source is photons.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the energy source is ultraviolet light.

24. The method according to claim 11, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.

25. A method for molecularly imprinting a material, comprising:

forming a solution comprising a solvent and (a) a polymeric material capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene, (b) a crosslinking agent according to the formula ##STR24## wherein R is a lower alkyl group and X is a halogen, (c) a functionalizing monomer according to the formula ##STR25## wherein X is a halogen and Y is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --SH, --CHO, --COOH, --NH.sub.3, --NHR.sub.1 and --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2, and (d) an imprinting molecule;

coating a silicon wafer with the solution;

evaporating the solvent to form a film on the silicon wafer;

exposing the film to an energy source; and

extracting the imprinting molecule from the film.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of saturated polyolefins, acrylics, polystyrene, polystyrene analogs, unsaturated polyolefins, polyimides, polyesters, conjugated polymers, conducting polymers, inorganic polymers, organic metals, organometallic polymers, and polysaccharides.

27. The method according to claim 25 wherein the crosslinking agent is ethylene 1,2-bis(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate).

28. The method according to claim 25 wherein the functionalizing monomer is 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetraflourobenzoic acid.

29. The method according to claim 25 wherein the imprinting molecule is ##STR26##

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.

31. A method for molecularly imprinting a material, comprising:

forming a solution comprising a solvent and (a) a polymeric material capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene selected from the group consisting of saturated polyolefins, acrylics, polystyrene, polystyrene analogs, unsaturated polyolefins, polyimides, polyesters, conjugated polymers, conducting polymers, inorganic polymers, organic metals, organometallic polymers, and polysaccharides, (b) a crosslinking agent according to the formula ##STR27## wherein R is a lower alkyl group, (c) a functionalizing monomer according to the formula ##STR28## wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --SH, --CHO, --COOH, --NH.sub.3, --NHR.sub.1 and --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2, and (d) an imprinting molecule;

spincoating a silicon wafer with the solution;

evaporating the solvent to form a film on the silicon wafer;

exposing the film to an energy source selected from the group consisting of energized electrons, energized ions, photons and heat; and

extracting the imprinting molecule from the film.

32. The method according to claim 31 wherein the crosslinking agent is ethylene 1,2-bis(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate).

33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the functionalizing monomer is 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetraflourobenzoic acid.

34. The method according to claim 31 wherein the imprinting molecule is ##STR29##

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.

36. A method for detecting an analyte, comprising:

forming solutions comprising (a) a substrate capable of undergoing an addition reaction with a nitrene, (b) a crosslinking agent according to the formula ##STR30## wherein R is a lower alkyl group and X is a halogen, (c) a functionalizing monomer according to the formula ##STR31## wherein X is a halogen and Y is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --SH, --CHO, --COOH, --NH.sub.3, --NHR.sub.1 and --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2, and (d) an imprinting molecule;

evaporating the solvent to form a film;

exposing the film to a reaction energy to form a crosslinked substrate;

extracting the imprinting molecules from the crosslinked substrate;

exposing the film to one or more of the imprinting molecules for a period of time sufficient to couple the imprinting molecules to the film; and

detecting the presence of the imprinting molecule.

37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the step of detecting the imprinting molecule comprises measuring the capacitance of the film after the exposing step.

38. The method according to claim 36 wherein the step of detecting the imprinting molecule comprises measuring light characteristics of the film.

39. A molecularly imprinted polymeric material comprising a polymeric substrate crosslinked in the presence of an imprinting molecule with a crosslinking agent according to the formula ##STR32## and further including a functionalizing molecule according to the formula ##STR33##

40. The method according to claim 36, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.

41. The method according to claim 39 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of saturated polyolefins, acrylics, polystyrene, polystyrene analogs, unsaturated polyolefins, polyimides, polyesters, conjugated polymers, conducting polymers, inorganic polymers, organic metals, organometallic polymers, and polysaccharides.

42. The method according to claim 39 wherein X of the crosslinking agent is fluorine.

43. The method according to claim 39 wherein the crosslinking agent is ethylene 1,2-bis(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoate).

44. The method according to claim 39 wherein X of the functionalizing monomer is fluorine.

45. The method according to claim 39 wherein the functionalizing monomer is 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetraflourobenzoic acid.

46. A sensor employing the molecularly imprinted material of claim 39. ##STR34##

47. The material according to claim 39, wherein the imprinting molecule is selected from the group consisting of acetaminophen, amilacin, amitriptyline, chloramphenical, cyclosporine, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, hanamycin, lidocaine, methotrexate, carbamazepine, N-acetylprocainamide, metilmicin, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, procainamide, quinidine, salicylate, streptomycin, theophylline, tobramycin, valproic acid, vancomycin, ethanol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, buprenorphine, cannabinoids, cocaine, cocaine metabolites, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, methadone, nicotine, nicotine metabolites, opiates and phencyclidine.