POLAR, MONODISPERSE, REACTIVE BEADS FROM FUNCTIONALIZED METHACRYLATE MONOMERS BY STAGED TEMPLATED SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION

Porous monodisperse poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) beads , which can be used as a platform for the production of separation med ia, polymeric reagents, and supports, have been prepared using the sta ged templated suspension polymerization process. Since the direct poly merization of methacrylic acid, which would lead to beads bearing carb oxyl groups in a single step, is not compatible with the preparation t echnique, poly(tert-butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) bea ds were prepared and then selectively deprotected. In contrast, beads containing aliphatic hydroxyl groups can be prepared directly despite the high solubility of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in water. The degre e of functionalization and porous properties of the beads are largely controlled by the monomer composition in the polymerization mixture. O ne application for the functionalized beads is the preparation of very selective chiral separation media for HPLC of enantiomers.