Catalytically active, molecularly imprinted polymers in bead form

Polymers imprinted with a stable transition-state analogue of the carbonate ester hydrolysis have been prepared and showed remarkable catalytic activity. They have now been obtained by suspension copolymerization in bead form. The chemical structure of the polymers prepared from a complex of diphenylphosphate and a polymerisable amidine derivative copolymerised with ethylene dimethacrylate and methyl methacrylate was investigated. The effect of the composition of the monomer mixture and the polymerization conditions on morphology and porous structure was investigated. The template diphenyl phosphate was not eluted during the suspension procedure into the aqueous phase. All of the prepared copolymers are macroporous with permanent porous structure. Depending on reaction conditions, the amount of micropores and macropores and thus the accessibility of the copolymer to molecules can be varied. Catalytic activity of the prepared copolymers was tested by hydrolysis of diphenyl carbonate and diphenyl carbamate. Molecularly imprinted beads show higher imprinting selectivity than corresponding block copolymers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.