Imidazole-containing chitosan derivative: a new synthetic approach and sorption properties

A novel method for the synthesis of a hetaryl-containing chelate amino polymer, namely, N-(4(5)-imidazolylmethyl)chitosan (IMC), with a degree of substitution up to 0.3 was proposed. The “synthesis in gel” approach involves direct substitution of the hydroxyl group in 4(5)-imidazolylmethanol. The structures of these polymers were confirmed by ¹H NMR data. For sorption studies, IMC samples were crosslinked with epichlorohydrin and diglycidyl ethers of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. The degrees of swelling and sorption properties of the polymers largely depend on the crosslinking agent and the degree of crosslinking. The sorption capacities of IMC for Au^III, Pt^IV, and Pd^II ions are higher than those of the nonmodified polymer. The extraction of noble metal ions from chloride solutions becomes more selective with increasing degree of crosslinking. The sorption capacity of IMC for Co^II and Ni^II ions is higher than those of chitosan and its known N-heterocyclic derivatives.