Polymer/carrier composites as materials and reactors for organic synthesis

In this work new polymer/carrier composites are described which serve as novel materials in flow-through reactors for polymer-supported organic solution-phase synthesis. Monolithic polymer/carrier columns are prepared by a new precipitation polymerization process inside the void pore volume of megaporous glass carrier materials. Chemical functionalization of the internal polymer phase with chlorosulfonic acid or trimethylamine generates small, interconnected ion-exchange resin beads with a diameter of 1-3 mum which can be used for a large variety of organic syntheses. These monolithic rods are incorporated into an appropriate casing and can conveniently be operated in the flow-through mode. Important successful applications are polymer-assisted solution-phase reductions, oxidations and Homer-Emmons olefinations. Additionally, the use of these monolithic columns as catalytic microreactors and their performance in selected reactions are described. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.