Proline-Based Polymeric Monoliths: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications as Organocatalysts in Aldol Reaction

Abstract

Proline-based polymer monoliths were synthesized via green protocol using lipase-catalyzed esterification of methacrylic acid and 4-hydroxyproline. Prolinyl methacrylate thus prepared was polymerized in situ as crosslinked monolith. The monolith was characterized by various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared, H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen analysis and used as catalyst in aldol reactions. The swelling behavior of the monolith was also studied as function of various external parameters like pH and temperature. The monoliths synthesized with 1% crosslinker was selected as candidate monolith for use as catalyst in aldol reaction, which was studied as a function of time, temperature, substrate structure, and amount of water:EtOH. The catalysts exhibited high efficiency in the cross aldol reaction, especially with the aromatic substrates having electron withdrawing substituent, and also good activity retention was observed when recycleability was studied up to five cycles. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48:1007-1015, 2010