FUNCTIONALIZED POLYMERS - CHEMISTRY AND APPLICATIONS

Methods for the preparation. of functionalized polymers, factors affec ting the functionalization of macromolecular systems, physicochemical characteristics of functionalized polymers, interdependence of structu ral features of the polymer matrix and the functional group chemistry and the specific applications of the systems in organic synthesis, rea gents, enzyme immobilization, polymeric ligands and catalysts are crit ically reviewed. The nature of the polymer backbone, the conformation of the conformation of the macromolecular chain, the microenvironment of the reactive functional groups in the chain, the stereochemistry ar ound the functional group, the overall topology of the macromolecular matrix and the solvation and swelling characteristics direct the funct ionalization procedures, the reactivity of the polymers and the applic ations of these systems. Specific case studies from recent literature illustrating these important parameters are analysed with emphasis to the work in the authors' group during the last ten years.