A compound of the formula (III): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.21 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R.sup.22 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and R.sup.23 is a divalent organic group.

A method i for forming an epoxidized polymer is provided. The method may include mixing an epoxidized plant oil with a synthetic epoxy resin and crosslinking the epoxidized plant oil and the synthetic epoxy resin using a curing agent. The epoxidized plant oil may be formed via: converting plant oil triglycerides to fatty amide alcohols via aminolysis using primary or secondary amines, converting the fatty amide alcohols to epoxidized fatty amide alcohols, and reacting the epoxidized fatty amide alcohols with vinyl monomers to obtain epoxidized plant oil monomers.

A method i for forming an epoxidized polymer is provided. The method may include mixing an epoxidized plant oil with a synthetic epoxy resin and crosslinking the epoxidized plant oil and the synthetic epoxy resin using a curing agent. The epoxidized plant oil may be formed via: converting plant oil triglycerides to fatty amide alcohols via aminolysis using primary or secondary amines, converting the fatty amide alcohols to epoxidized fatty amide alcohols, and reacting the epoxidized fatty amide alcohols with vinyl monomers to obtain epoxidized plant oil monomers.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an azo polymer forms a complex with a lithium ion and a sodium ion among alkali metal ions, but does not form a complex with a potassium ion. Therefore, the azo polymer is expected to be utilized as a material for a sensor capable of selectively detecting a specific alkali metal ion, or as a novel material capable of selectively trapping a specific alkali metal ion from a solution in which metal ions are mixed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an azo polymer forms a complex with a lithium ion and a sodium ion among alkali metal ions, but does not form a complex with a potassium ion. Therefore, the azo polymer is expected to be utilized as a material for a sensor capable of selectively detecting a specific alkali metal ion, or as a novel material capable of selectively trapping a specific alkali metal ion from a solution in which metal ions are mixed.

A cyclic organosilicon compound having a (meth)acrylic group and a urea structure on a silicon atom cures into a product having improved flexibility, surface hardness, and evaporation amenability.

A cyclic organosilicon compound having a (meth)acrylic group and a urea structure on a silicon atom cures into a product having improved flexibility, surface hardness, and evaporation amenability.

Provided is a monomer that improves solubility in organic solvents, hydrolyzability, and solubility in water after hydrolysis of a resin as well as imparts higher heat resistance to a resin. A resin for a photoresist containing a polymerization unit represented by Formula (Y), wherein R.sup.h represents a halogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbons and having a halogen atom; R.sup.1 is a substituent attached to a ring and represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group that has from 1 to 6 carbons and may have a halogen atom, a hydroxyalkyl group that has from 1 to 6 carbons and may have a halogen atom and has a hydroxyl group moiety which may be protected by a protecting group, a carboxyl group that may form a salt, or a substituted oxycarbonyl group; A represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbons, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or no bond; m is the number of R.sup.1 and represents an integer from 0 to 8; X represents an electron-withdrawing substituent; n is the number of X and represents an integer from 1 to 9; B represents a single bond or a linking group; and a steric position of a COOB-group attached to a polymer chain may be either endo or exo.

Stimuli-switchable moieties, monomers incorporating stimuli-switchable moieties, and polymers incorporating such stimuli-switchable moieties are provided. The stimuli-switchable moiety can be a pyrano aryl chromenone-derivative. The stimuli-switchable monomer can be a lactone monomer. The stimuli-switchable monomer can be an amino acid, which can be incorporated into a specific peptide sequence by peptide synthesis.

Stimuli-switchable moieties, monomers incorporating stimuli-switchable moieties, and polymers incorporating such stimuli-switchable moieties are provided. The stimuli-switchable moiety can be a pyrano aryl chromenone-derivative. The stimuli-switchable monomer can be a lactone monomer. The stimuli-switchable monomer can be an amino acid, which can be incorporated into a specific peptide sequence by peptide synthesis.