Coated macroporous carriers with oxirane groups and their reactivity

Macroporous carriers were prepared by coating controlled pore silicas with copolymers of hydroxyalkyl methacrylate and alkaline dimethacrylate activated by epichlorhydrin (140-1000 mumol/g epoxide group content). The relationship between the preparation conditions (the monomer ratio, the nature of the solvent, the method of activation by epichlorhydrin and the reaction temperature) was studied, as well as the surface characteristics responsible for the carrier's ability to bond (the value of the surface area before and after coating with copolymers and the degree of cross-linking required for the accessibility of the reactive groups). The coupling of various amino compounds, ammonia, aminopropanol, 1,2-diaminoethane, 1,6-diaminohexane and, as a model enzyme, alpha chymotrypsin on to derivatized carriers was investigated as a function of pH, reaction time and the concentration of the compound bonded.