Patent ID: 7662866

Claim:
A method of producing a cross-linked polymeric support having a multimodal pore structure, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a degradable initiator molecule; (b) providing an organic phase, which comprises said initiator molecule, one or more radically polymerisable monomers and a porogen in a solvent, and an aqueous phase, which comprises a transition metal catalyst; (c) forming a suspension of the organic phase and the aqueous phase; (d) starting a suspension polymerisation of the organic phase in the aqueous phase by adding a ligand, which co-ordinates to the transition metal in the aqueous phase via at least one atom, to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a primary pore structure and comprising initiator molecule; and (e) subjecting the support obtained from step (d) to degrading conditions to at least partially remove the initiator molecule from within the support to produce a cross-linked polymeric support having a secondary pore structure in addition to the primary pore structure.