Method of making macroporous cation exchange resins

A method of preparing a macroporous cation exchange resin, the method comprising:

• forming an aqueous phase composition comprising
• a) a monomer mixture comprising
• i) a crosslinking monomer comprising N,N′-alkylenebis(meth)acrylamide, N,N′-heteroalkylenebis(meth)acrylamide, or a combination thereof in an amount in a range of 15 to 90 weight percent based on a weight of monomers in the monomer mixture;
• and
• ii) a negatively charged ionic monomer,
• wherein substantially all the monomers in the monomer mixture have a lipophilicity index less than or equal to 20;
• and
• b) a water-soluble porogen of Formula I
• R1—(R2—O)n—R3 (I)
• wherein
• R1 is hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxy, acyloxy, or halo;
• each R2 is independently an alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, carboxyalkyl, acyl, or haloalkyl;
• and
• n is an integer of 1 to 1,000;
• and
• c) an aqueous phase solvent mixture comprising water and a mono-alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein the mono-alcohol is present in an amount of at least 20 weight percent based on a total weight of the aqueous phase solvent mixture;
• suspending the aqueous phase composition in a non-polar organic solvent;
• polymerizing the monomer mixture to form particles of polymeric material;
• and
• removing the porogen from the particles to form a macroporous cation exchange resin.