An Assay Study of Molecular Recognition of Amino Acids in Water: Covalent Imprinting of Cysteine

A novel synthetic N-(9-fluorenyl methoxy carbonyl)-L-Cysteine (Fmoc-Cys(SH)-OH) receptor was prepared by co-polymerizing (9-fluorenyl methoxy carbonyl)-S-(1-propene-2-thiol)-L-Cysteine (FmocCys(SCH2CHCH2)-OH) and a non-imprinted polymer prepared from 1-propene-1-thiol photo-chemically 15 h at room temperature and additional 3 h thermally at 80 ̊C. Subsequently, disulfides were reduced with lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) from imprinted polymers. The imprinted polymers selectively recognized Fmoc-Cys(SH)-OH with high binding constants in aqueous and protic solvents by thiol-disulfide exchange reactions. In order to estimate the covalent rebinding, particles were further extracted and disulfides reduced were estimated with the non-covalent recognized and covalently bounded analytes. From rebinding studies that were conducted, we observed that proved polymer particles could be reproducible and contain constant binding strengths and recognition properties. Furthermore, we proved that short incubation periods resulted in fast and efficient thiol-disulfide interchange reactions.