Variably crosslinked polymeric supports

An azlactone-functional polymer bead which is the reaction product of:

• (a) a carboxylate-functional polymeric bead which is the polymerization product of:
• (i) 0 to 89 molar parts of at least one free radically addition polymerizable, water soluble monomer;
• (ii) 1 to less than 95 molar parts of a water soluble salt of N-(meth)acryloylamino acid having the formula ##STR15## wherein R.sup.1 is H or CH.sub.3,
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently are an alkyl group having 1 to 14 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 5 to 12 ring atoms, an arenyl group having 6 to 26 carbon and 0 to 3 S, N, and nonperoxidic O heteroatoms, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined can form a carbocyclic ring containing 4 to 12 ring atoms,
• n is an integer 0 or 1, and
• M is a water-solubilizing cation;
• and
• (iii) greater than 5 and up to 99 molar parts of at least one ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking monomer;
• and
• (b) a cyclizing agent.

An adduct bead having units of the formula ##STR19## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and n are as previously defined,

• n=0 or 1,
• X is --O--, --S--, --NH--, or --NR.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is alkyl or aryl, and
• G is the residue of HXG which performs the complexing, catalyzing, separating, or reagent function of the adduct beads,
• said bead containing greater than 5 and up to 99 molar parts of ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking monomer incorporated therein.

A method comprising the steps of:

• (a) polymerizing together
• (i) 0 to 89 molar parts of at least one free radically addition polymerizable, water soluble monomer,
• (ii) 1 to less than 95 molar parts of at least one water soluble salt of N-(meth)acryloylamino acid having the formula ##STR20## wherein R.sup.1 is H or CH.sub.3,
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently are an alkyl group having 1 to 14 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 5 to 12 ring atoms, an arenyl group having 6 to 26 carbon and 0 to 3 S, N, and nonperoxidic O heteroatoms, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined can form a carbocyclic ring containing 4 to 12 ring atoms,
• n is an integer 0 or 1, and
• M is a water-solubilizing cation, and
• (iii) greater than 5 and up to 99 molar parts of at least one ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking monomer,
• (b) isolating the resulting carboxylate-functional polymer beads.

An adduct bead having units of the formula ##STR21## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and n are as previously defined,

• n=0 or 1,
• X is --O--, --S--, --NH--, or --NR.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is alkyl or aryl, and
• G is the residue of HXG which performs the complexing, catalyzing, separating, or reagent function of the adduct beads,
• said bead containing greater than 20 and up to 99 molar parts of crosslinking monomer incorporated therein and having a degree of swelling less than 3 times the unswelled volume.