This invention relates to the use of base-labile protecting groups for stepwise synthesis of polymers including oligomers. One or more monomers that have a base-labile protecting group at one end and a leaving group at the other are used in synthetic cycles comprising deprotection under stronger basic conditions to remove the base-labile protecting group, and coupling with a monomer under weaker basic conditions to elongate the polymer without premature deprotection of the base-labile protecting group. Advantages of the invention include the possibility to shorten the synthetic cycle from three steps in prior art methods to two steps, more efficient deprotection, more efficient coupling, and the use of less harmful and less expensive chemicals. One of the goals for stepwise polymer synthesis is to prepare monodisperse and sequence-defined polymers.

The present invention relates to a novel process for the synthesis of (per)fluoropolyether polymers, to certain novel (per)fluoropolyether polymers. The present invention also relates to the use of the (per)fluoropolyether polymers thus obtained as intermediate compounds for the manufacture of further polymers suitable for use as lubricants, notably for magnetic recording media (MRM).

Disclosed is a compound with the following formula (I):

##STR00001## as well as the use thereof, in particular as a chelating agent of positively charged ions, or as a fluidizing agent for hydraulic compositions. Also disclosed is a hydraulic composition comprising a compound with formula (I), at least one hydraulic binder, at least one aggregate, and water.

Provided herein are polymeric α-hydroxy aldehyde or α-hydroxy ketone reagents which can be conjugated to amine-containing compounds to form stable conjugates in a single-step reaction. In selected embodiments, the polymeric reagent itself incorporates an internal proton-abstracting (basic) functional group, to promote more efficient reaction. The substituent is appropriately situated, via a linker if necessary, to position the group for proton abstraction, preferably providing a 4- or 5-bond spacing between the abstracting atom and the hydrogen atom on the α-carbon. Also provided are methods of using the reagents and stable, solubilized conjugates of the reagents with biologically active compounds. In preferred embodiments, the polymeric component of the reagent or conjugate is a polyethylene glycol.

The present invention relates to micellar nanocomplexes and a method of forming the same. The micellar nanocomplex comprises a micelle and an agent encapsulated within said micelle, where the micelle comprises a polymer-flavonoid conjugate, wherein said polymer is bonded to the B ring of said flavonoid. The micellar nanocomplex may have useful applications as a drug-delivery system.

Alkoxylated polycarboxylic acid amides are provided obtainable by first reacting an aromatic polycarboxylic acid containing at least three carboxylic acid units or anhydrides derived therefrom, preferably an aromatic polycarboxylic acid containing three or four carboxylic acid units or anhydrides derived therefrom, more preferably an aromatic polycarboxylic acid containing three carboxylic acid units or anhydrides derived therefrom, even more preferably trimellitic acid or trimellitic acid anhydride, most preferably trimellitic acid anhydride, with an amine alkoxylate and in a second step reacting the resulting product with an alcohol or amine or a mixture of alcohols and/or amines, preferably with an alcohol.

The invention is directed to a tissue-adhesive multi-arm polymer comprising a core from which polymeric arms extent, which polymeric arms are substituted with a hydroxyl-substituted aromatic group based on compounds such as dopamine, L-DOPA, D-DOPA, tyramine, noradrenaline and/or serotonin. In addition, the invention is directed to a caprolactam blocked hydroxyl-substituted aromatic compound, suitable for the preparation of the tissue-adhesive multi-arm polymer and to the method for the preparation of the tissue-adhesive multi-arm polymer.

Provided herein are polymeric α-hydroxy aldehyde or α-hydroxy ketone reagents which can be conjugated to amine-containing compounds to form stable conjugates in a single-step reaction. In selected embodiments, the polymeric reagent itself incorporates an internal proton-abstracting (basic) functional group, to promote more efficient reaction. The substituent is appropriately situated, via a linker if necessary, to position the group for proton abstraction, preferably providing a 4- or 5-bond spacing between the abstracting atom and the hydrogen atom on the α-carbon. Also provided are methods of using the reagents and stable, solubilized conjugates of the reagents with biologically active compounds. In preferred embodiments, the polymeric component of the reagent or conjugate is a polyethylene glycol.

This disclosure relates to water-soluble viscosity reducer complexes for use in reducing the viscosity of heavy oil in oil recovery operations. The viscosity reducer complexes contain a hydrophilic component of polyaromatic-hydrocarbon-based polymers and a hydrophilic component of cyclodextrin-based polymers.

A chromene compound having at least one indenonaphthopyran moiety which has a group forming a spiro ring together with the 13-position carbon atom and further an oligomer chain group selected from a polyalkylene oxide oligomer chain group having at least three recurring units and a polyester oligomer chain group having at least three recurring units, represented by the following formula and having reduced matrix dependence: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each a group which may have an oligomer chain group, the ring Z bonded to the 13-position carbon atom of the chromene compound is a Spiro ring group, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each an aryl group or heteroaryl group which may have an oligomer chain group. Preferably, the chromene compound has at least one oligomer chain group in the molecule.