The use of soluble polymers to effect homogeneous catalyst separation and reuse

The use of soluble polymeric ligands for homogeneous catalysts separation is reviewed with emphasis on work from the author's laboratory. Examples discussed include polyethylene-bound catalysts, poly(alkene oxide)-bound catalysts, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-bound catalysts, fluorous polymer-bound catalysts and amphoteric polymer-bound catalysts. The utility of these systems is also discussed in the broader context of polymer-supported catalysis and the advantages and limitations of soluble polymeric ligands are discussed in this context. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.