Name: Ansgar Japes
Diploma / M.Sc degree: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany
(October 2003)
Title: Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Separation of 4,6-Dialkylated Dibenzothiophenes


Homepage: www.uni-muenster.de/Chemie.ac/anders/gruppe/Ansgar/welcome.html

Abstract of Research Project

Sulfur heterocycles are found in crude oils, fuels and other petroleum related products. Due to the fact that sulfur is a direct contributor to SOx emissions and acts as a poison of catalytic converters, strict environmental legislation has been introduced to reduce the sulfur content of fuels. Commonly used catalytic hydrodesulfurization processes are not able to remove some alkylated polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles in fuels efficiently.

Some of these derivatives show strong steric hindrance to hydrodesulfurization, for example 4,6- dialkylated dibenzothiophenes. Therefore molecularly imprinted polymers for the separation of these compounds should be prepared.

Molecular imprinting describes the procedure of template assisted phase preparation. A template molecule, either for synthesis or as an analyte, can interact with functional monomers leading to self assembly of the most stable configuration. The template used should be similar to the target, but distinguishable from it to avoid contamination due to incomplete removal. After polymerization and elimination of the template, cavities with high affinity to the target molecule remain. The imprinted polymers can be used for template synthesis or as stationary chromatographic phase.


Ansgar Japes
eMail: Ansgar Japes