Surface Molecularly Imprinted Cellulose‐Synthetic Hybrid Particles Prepared via ATRP for Enrichment of Flavonoids in Olive Leaf

Abstract Surface molecularly imprinted cellulose‐synthetic hybrid particles are prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The two‐step process involves the immobilization of α‐bromoisobutyryl bromide in pristine microcrystalline cellulose, to generate ATRP macroinitiator particles, and then creation a crosslinked‐imprinted shell surface considering 4‐vinylpyridine (4VP) ethylene glycoldimethacrylate (EGDMA) with quercetin as imprinting template. Among recipes tested, system ethanol solvent preserves final size suitable for application adsorbent, while also incorporating 4VP/EGDMA co‐monomers. Testing imprinted/non‐imprinted sorption/desorption standard phenolic compounds shows modification cellulose achievement molecular (imprinting factor ≈2.6). Particles used enrichment flavonoids olive leaf extracts special features developed adsorbents again highlighted this complex mixture compounds. It is shown that production fractions rich luteolin‐7‐O‐glucoside, apigenin‐7‐O‐glucoside, or quercetin, among other possible (estimated factors up 4). These results point usefulness natural‐synthetic materials processes get high‐added value framework circular bio‐economy.