| Abstract: | Catalase‐like activity of the metal complexes of various crosslinked polystyrene‐supported Schiff bases were carried out and correlated with the nature and degree of crosslinking in the polymer support. Polystyrenes with 2–20 mol % ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), 1,4‐butanediol dimethacrylate (BDDMA) and 1,6‐hexanediol diacrylate (HDODA) were used as polymer supports. functions of diethylenetriamine and salicylaldehyde were incorporated to the chloromethylpolystyrene by polymer analogous reactions and complexed with Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) ions. The metal uptake decreased in the order: Cu(II) > Co(II) > Ni(II) > Fe(III) > Fe(II), and extent of metal uptake by the various crosslinked system varied with the nature and degree of the crosslinking agent. The polymeric ligands and the metal complexes were characterized by various analytical techniques. The catalytic activities of these metal complexes were investigated towards the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide. Generally among the various metal complexes, the catalytic activities decreased in the order: Co(II) > Cu(II) > Ni(II) > Fe(III) ? Fe(II). With increasing rigidity of the crosslinking agent their catalytic activity also decreased. Of the various crosslinked systems, the catalytic activity decreased in the order: HDODA‐ > BDDMA‐ > EGDMA‐crosslinked system. Also, the catalytic activity is higher for low crosslinked systems and decreased further with increasing degree of crosslinking. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 1271–1278, 2004 |
