Polymer imprinting with iron-oxo-hydroxo clusters: [Fe6O2(OH)2(O2CC(Cl)CH2)12(H2O)2], [Fe6O2(OH)2(O2C–Ph–(CH)CH2)12(H2O)2] and [{Fe(O2CC(Cl)CH2)(OMe)2}10]

Abstract

We report the syntheses of imprinted polymers using iron-oxo-hydroxo clusters as templates. Three new iron clusters, [Fe₆O₂(OH)₂(O₂CC(Cl)CH₂)₁₂(H₂O)₂] (1), [{Fe(O₂CC(Cl)CH₂)(OMe)₂}₁₀] (2) and [Fe₆O₂(OH)₂(O₂C–Ph–(CH)CH₂)₁₂(H₂O)₂] (3) have been prepared from commercially-available carboxylic acids. Cluster-imprinted-polymers (CIPs) of 1, 2 and 3 were prepared with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate monomer, and of 1 with methyl methacrylate monomer. The imprinted sites within the CIPs were examined using EXAFS and diffuse reflectance UV/vis spectroscopy, demonstrating that the clusters 1, 2 and 3 were incorporated intact within the polymers. Extraction of the clusters from the CIPs imprinted with 1 and 3 gave new polymers that showed evidence of an imprinting effect.