Peroxidase-like catalytic activities of ionic metalloporphyrins supported on functionalised polystyrene surface

Metalloderivatives of anionic tetrasulphonated tetraphenylporphyrin (MTPPS, M = Mn(III), Fe(III) and Co(III)) were synthesized and immobilized on cationically functionalised divinylbenzene(DVB)-crosslinked polystyrene(PS). These supported catalysts (PS-MTPPS) were found to exhibit peroxidase-like activity. The co-oxidation of 4-aminoantipyrine and phenol by H₂O₂ was attempted with these catalysts to mimic this enzyme function. The catalytic efficiency of all these immobilized MTPPS was found to be superior to the corresponding unsupported MTPPS in solution. The effect of the central metal ion of the porphyrin, pH of the reaction medium and also the temperature effect are investigated. The ideal pH was seen to be in the 8.0–8.5 range, with maximum effect at 8.2. The efficiency order for the various PS-MTPPS was seen to be Co>Mn>Fe, with CoTPPS showing efficiency comparable to that of horseradish peroxidase. The catalytic efficiency was found to be increasing with temperature for all the catalysts. The re-usability of these PS-MTPPS systems for peroxidase-like activity was also studied and it was found that they exhibited a very high degree of recyclability without much poisoning.