SYNTHESIS OF HYDROPHILIC POLY(VINYL ETHER)S AND THEIR APPLICATION FORSEPARATION MEDIA DESIGN

Poly(2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether (AcOVE)) and poly(2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether-co-2-vinyloxyethyl phthalimide) were synthesized by traditional cationic polymerization, typically at -20 degrees C in toluene with B F3O(C2H5)(2) as initiator, to give polymers with degrees of polymeriza tion (Dp) in the range of 600-1100. In addition, poly(AcOVE) was polym erized by controlled cationic polymerization at 0 degrees C with molec ular weights in a predetermined fashion. The Dp's were calculated from Dp = [M](0)/[I](0) and typical values were 5, 10, 100 and 200. The mo lecular weight values obtained for a theoretical Dp = 200, were for po ly(2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether), M(n) = 19,200, M(w) = 22,700 and polyd ispersity = 1.2, as determined by GPC. The deprotected hydrophilic pol ymers, poly(2-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether-co-2-aminoethyl vinyl ether), were used for the preparation of n ovel gel filtration media as well as new anion exchangers. In the case of gel filtration, poly(2-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether) was attached to a beaded agarose matrix (34 mu m), i.e. Sepharose(R) HP. It was shown t hat the attachment of the poly(vinyl ether) affected the selectivity. In gel filtration of selected biomolecules, the poly(vinyl ether) modi fied agarose matrix showed performance characteristics comparable to t he reference used, i.e. Superdex(R) 30 prep grade. In addition the pol y(vinyl ether)s were shown to be stable in a wide pH-range. The stabil ity was confirmed by the conclusion that no changes in molecular weigh t were observed after treatment with 0.1 M HCl (pH = 1) or 0.01 M NaOH (pH = 12) for six weeks at 40 degrees C. For the preparation of anion -exchanger media, the beads containing poly(2-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether ) was further modified with a quaternary ammonium group, to produce a separation media having a high dynamic binding capacity for bovine ser um albumin (BSA).