Method of coupling ligands onto supports and products produced therefrom

Abstract

A method is disclosed for coupling a ligand within a porous support. The method involves mixing ligand and porous support under conditions sufficient to suppress coupling conditions of the ligand to the porous support while enhancing the relative rate of diffusion, to the rate of reaction, of the ligand into and within the porous support, and then altering the conditions to enhance rapid coupling of the ligand within the porous support. The alteration from diffusion conditions to coupling conditions involves a change in the reaction solution of pH, ionic strength, temperature, coupling competitor, such that a relatively lower Thiele Modulus during diffusion conditions changes to a relatively higher Thiele Modulus during coupling conditions. Derivatized porous supports produced according to the method are also disclosed. The derivatized porous support has enhanced functional efficiency. Derivatized porous supports prepared from azlactone-functional porous supports are also disclosed.