Patent ID: 7456276

Claim:
A polymer substrate functionalized with a metal ion coordinating functionality of general formula (I) wherein n is 1, 2 or 3; each of a, b and c in each triazacycloalkane ring, independently of each other and independently of any other triazacycloalkane ring, is 1, 2 or 3; one or both hydrogen atoms of each —CH 2 — group in each triazacycloalkane ring, independently of each other and independently of any other triazacycloalkane ring, may optionally and independently be substituted with a substituent; the hydrogen atom of each —NH— group in each triazacycloalkane ring, independently of each other and independently of any other triazacycloalkane ring, may optionally be substituted with a substituent; when n is 1, R is a bifunctional group, said bifunctional group optionally comprising one or more metal ion coordinating donor atoms; when n is 2 or 3, R is an (n+1)-functional group, said (n+1)-functional group optionally comprising one or more metal ion coordinating donor atoms; and X is a linker/spacer group.