Liquid/Liquid Biphasic Recovery/Reuse of Soluble Polymer- Supported Catalysts

Liquid/liquid separations using gravity and two phases of different density are a practical and viable way to recover, separate and reuse soluble polymer‐supported catalysts. Such separations are facilitated by using polymers that have phase‐selective solubility under biphasic conditions. Such polymers can be designed to be soluble either in a non‐polar or a polar phase. Since catalyst and ligand loading can be at a low mole percent level on the polymer, the polymer’s intrinsic solubility can be maintained with a variety of ligands and catalysts making such separation strategies general. Catalysis with such soluble polymer‐supported species can either be carried out under biphasic or monophasic conditions. In the former case, aqueous/organic, fluorous/organic or other biphasic regimes can be used. In the later case, thermomorphic or latent biphasic conditions can be employed. In either case, catalyst separation and recovery can be accomplished simply without using significant quantities of additional solvent.