Highly cross-linked polymers containing N,N',N' '-chelate ligands for the Cu(II)-mediated hydrolysis of phosphoesters

Three immobilized Cu(II) complexes were generated by the following: (a) homopolymerization of the N,N',N' '-chelate ligand tris[2-(1-vinylimidazolyl)]phosphine (1) and subsequent metalation with CuCl2; (b) copolymerization of 1 with ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) und subsequent metalation with CuCl2; or (c) molecular imprinting with the organometallic Mo-complex [Mo(eta3-C4H7)(CO)2(1)](TsO) (5) and EGDMA and subsequent replacement of Mo(II) by Cu(II). All three polymeric Cu complexes were found to efficiently promote the hydrolysis of activated phosphoesters with the relative activity being dependent on the nature of the polymer and the substrate.