Molecularly imprinted polymers having amidine and imidazole functional groups as an enzyme-mimetic catalyst for ester Hydrolysis

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) having both amidine and imidazole functional groups in the active site has been prepared using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a transition state analogue (TSA). The imprinted polymer MIP with amidine and imidazole found to have the highest hydrolysis activity compared with other MIPs with either amidine or imidazole groups only. It is postulated a cooperative effect between amidine and imidazole in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl methyl carbonate (NPMC) as a substrate when both groups were arranged in proximity by molecular imprinting. The rate enhancement of the hydrolysis by MIP was 60 folds over the uncatalyzed solution reaction and two folds compared with the control non-imprinted polymer CP1 having both functional groups. The enzyme-mimetic catalytic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate by MIP was evaluated in buffer at pH 7.0 with K-m of 1.06 mM and k(cat) of 0.137 h(-1).