Bonding to Psychedelics: Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Targeting 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B)
Applied Sciences Switzerland February 1, 2024 Daniel Martins, Carlos Fernandes, Ricardo F. Mendes et al.
A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed to selectively recognize the psychedelic compound 2C-B. Using 2C-B as a template and methacrylic acid as the functional monomer in a 1:4 ratio, microwave-assisted polymerization produced a material with a maximum absorption capacity of 115.6 μmol·mg−1 and a dissociation constant (Kd) of 26.7 μM. The imprint factor was 4.2 compared to a non-imprinted polymer, and the material showed good selectivity against 14 other new psychoactive substances. This MIP may aid in monitoring non-medical use of 2C-B and in therapeutic models involving psychedelics.