Nitrocatecholic copolymers – synthesis and their remarkable binding affinity

Nitrocatecholic random copolymers were obtained from nitration of protected catechol-N-isopropylacrylamide copolymers. Incorporation of 5% nitrocatecholic counits can lead to remarkable enhancement of the binding affinity toward Fe3O4 nanoparticles and an organic boronic acid by a factor of 40 and 20, respectively.