**2. Synthetic approaches**

The molecularly imprinted polymerization techniques and methods have been well described in literature [22]. Basically, the imprinting process involves self-assembled of selected functional monomer around a template molecule followed by polymerization in the presence of a cross-linker [23]. The template is then removed from the polymer matrix, thus, leaving behind a cavity complementary in functional group, size and shape, which is available to strongly bind compounds that are closely related to the template molecule. This is demonstrated in **Figure 2** using the synthesis of MIP for fluconazole, an antifungal agent, as an example [24]. In their synthetic reaction [24], they used methacrylic acid, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and fluconazole as functional monomer, cross-linker and template, respectively. Despite its

**Figure 2.** Synthetic scheme of a MIP for fluconazole adapted from Manzoor et al. [24].

disadvantages like wastage of material during processing (sieving and crushing), bulk polymerization remains the most common imprinting method for pharmaceutical compounds compared to other polymerization techniques such as precipitation, suspension and emulsion polymerizations [25]. Bulk polymerization has been practically proven to give higher binding capacity for indomethacin when compared to suspension polymerization [25]. In this instance, indomethacin binding capacities for MIP prepared by bulk and suspension polymerization were approximately 0.35 and 0.15 mg.g−1, respectively.
