Preparation of deep eutectic solvent-based hexagonal boron nitride-molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for solid phase extraction of flavonoids

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is introduced as a 2D scaffold during the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The MIPs were prepared from deep eutectic solvents (DES) or from DES containing h-BN, crosslinking agent (ethylene glycoldimethacrylate), initiator (AIBN), porogen (methanol), and template (quercetin). The recognition site of the monomer is protected by the hydrogen bond of the DES before the MIP is polymerized. The formation of the final MIP was analyzed theoretically using density-functional theory. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption analysis, thermogravimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The introduction of h-BN resulted in an increase in the surface area of the nanoparticles. They were applied as a solid phase extraction sorbent for the extraction of flavonoids (specifically of quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol) from Ginkgo biloba leaves. Following extraction with ethanol, they were quantified by HPLC. The new sorbent has distinctly improved recognition capability for flavonoids compared to conventional MIP nanoparticles.