Synthesis of Strong Cation Exchange Macroporous Polymer Cluster for Convective Protein Chromatography

Alkyne-terminated polyelectrolytic brushes based on 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate are synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and subsequently linked to macroporous polymeric microclusters by Cu(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition. It is shown that a column packed with the obtained material enables convective cation-exchange chromatography of proteins, exhibiting flow rate independent resolution and dynamic binding capacity (8 mg mL−1). These flow characteristics are similar to those of monoliths and membranes and therefore improve the mass transport of existing chromatography resins used in the downstream process of therapeutic proteins, while the positive aspects of chromatographic beads are maintained, facilitating implementation in well-developed platform technologies.