Abstract: A novel molecularly imprinted polymer containing an iron(II) site has been synthesized and characterized. The template molecule is an octahedral gallium complex of two dibenzoylmethane ligands and a bidentate imidazole containing ligand with a pendant vinyl benzyl group. This complex has been characterized by 1H NMR and X-ray crystallography. The complex was copolymerized with trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate under dilute conditions to form highly crosslinked, molecularly imprinted micro-spheres. The gallium can be removed and replaced by other metals while leaving the covalently attached imidazole ligand as well as the non-covalently bound dibenzoyl methane ligand in the polymer. Catalytic oxidation of styrene has been observed using the iron(II) substituted polymer with both NaOCl and dioxygen as the terminal oxidant. The products were identified by NMR and GC-MS. Studies of the kinetics of this system as well as the scope of the oxidation reactivity will be presented.
Template and target information: ferrous ion, Fe(II)