Patent ID: 7799568

Claim:
A method for identifying a product comprising: a) providing a solid body fabricated from at least a molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind molecules having a specific taggant molecular structure, said molecular sized cavities being disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of the body; and, b) applying to the surface of the body a composition containing indicator molecules having a taggant moiety at one end having the taggant molecular structure and a marking functional group tethered to the taggant moiety by a molecular chain, said taggant moieties engaging and binding to the molecular sized cavities so as to mark the portion of the surface of the body with the indicator molecules bound thereto, said marking functional groups rendering the marked portion of the surface perceptible with or without detection instrumentation; wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is made in accordance with the steps of: (a) providing a complex comprising a compound of the general formula L 3 M wherein L is the same or different and is a β-diketone ligand containing the same or different chain transfer moiety and M is a lanthanide element; (b) reacting the complex with a target analyte to provide an adduct containing the target analyte; (c) co-polymerizing the adduct with a monomer and cross-linking agent to provide a polymer; and, (d) removing the target analyte from the polymer to provide the molecularly imprinted polymer.