Enantiomeric separation of α-amino acids by imprinted terpolymer membrane

Abstract

In this work, molecularly imprinted polymer membrane (d-arginine (Arg) imprinted terpolymer P(AN-co-AA-co-AAm) membrane) was prepared by the wet phase inversion method. Acrylamide (AAm) and acrylic acid (AA) were used as the functional monomers and acrylonitrile (AN) was used as a cross linker. The removal of template molecules from the membrane matrix increased the number of free –COOH groups and reduced dimerized –COOH groups, which is an indirect evidence of the formation of recognition sites. Optical resolution was performed in ultrafiltration cell using aqueous solutions of racemic mixtures of α-amino acids (arginine and asparagine). The imprinted membrane permeated d-enantiomers preferentially achieving 93% and 72% enantiomeric excess for d-arginine and d-asparagine, respectively.

Keywords

• Molecularly imprinted membrane
• Amino acids
• Enantiomeric separation
• Wet phase inversion method
• Ultrafiltration