PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF REACTIVE MACROPOROUS POLYMERS BEARING HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE FUNCTIONAL-GROUPS OBTAINED VIA PROTECTIVE GROUPCHEMISTRY

Polymerization of the protected functional monomers (4-vinylphenyl)die thoxymethane (1), N-[(4-vinylphenyl) methylene]-4-methoxy aniline (2), 4-((trifluoroacetamido)methyl)styrene (3), and 4-[[(tert-butoxycarbon yl)amino]methyl]styrene (4) with divinylbenzene as cross-linker in the presence of toluene as porogen led to macroporous functional polymeri c supports. The polymers obtained have high surface area and pore volu me as is evident from BET and electron microscopic study. Facile and n ear-quantitative elimination of the protecting groups of these polymer -bound functional groups reveals the permeability of these sites to th e chemical reagents. This approach to reactive polymers is a novel met hodology to obtain insolubilized functional polymer matrices with defi ned structures without interference of the functional groups during po lymerization. Such materials are anticipated to find applications in n ewer types of polymer-aided chemistry.