Janus-like boronate affinity magnetic molecularly imprinted nanobottles for specific adsorption and fast separation of luteolin

Janus-like magnetic molecularly imprinted nanobottles (MMINBs) are designed by the twice modification of the bottle-like particles with 3-chloropropyl groups capped on exterior surface and amino-groups capped on interior surface for specific adsorption and separation of luteolin (LTL) which containing cis-diol groups. Firstly, silica nanobottles (NBs) derived from anisotropic emulsion containing three species of silane coupling agents (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, and tetraethyl orthosilicate) are prepared to pave for the subsequent modification. Then magnetic nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of ferric triacetylacetonate are attached to carboxylic acid functionalized interior surface of nanobottles. Imprinted polymers using 4-vinylphenylboronic acid as functional monomer are introduced onto exterior surface of magnetic nanobottles (MNBs) by atom-transfer radical polymerization strategy using activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET ATRP) reaction. The capture performances of as-prepared MMINBs are illustrated by rebinding equilibrium, kinetics, selectivity, and regeneration. The maximum adsorption amount of MMINBs is 187. 2 μmol g−1 at 308 K. Moreover, MMINBs shows feasible capture kinetics (120 min), excellent selectivity, and remarkable recyclability after 7 regeneration cycles (only 4.55% loss in adsorption amounts).