Crosslinked polystyrene-supported dithiocarbamates as metal complexing agents

Dithiocarbamate functions were introduced into divinylbenzene (DVB)-crosslinked polystyrene matrices in different structural environments and their complexation behaviour with various metal ions was investigated. The reactions involved introduction of the amino functionality into the polystyrene matrix through a number of different heterogeneous amination procedures. These aminopolystyrene derivatives which contain the amino functions in different steric environments were converted to the respective dithiocarbamates by reaction with carbondisulphide in the presence of alkali. The metal complexing ability of the resulting insoluble polystyrene-dithiocarbamates was investigated towards Fe(III), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions. The structural factors characteristic of the polymer matrix like the molecular character and extent of crosslinking were found to exert influence on the metal complexing ability. The spectral characterization and the relative thermal stabilities of the complexes were also investigated