A biocompatible polymer, comprising a recurring unit of formula: wherein: j and k are each independently zero or an integer selected from 1 to 6, provided that j and k are not both 0; X 1 and X 2 are each independently bromine (Br) or iodine, and y 1 and y 2 are each independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; L 1 is selected from the group consisting of oxygen (-O-), -R 4 -C(=O)-O-, and -O-R 4a -O-C(=O)-; wherein R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 6 -C 30 arylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; and R 4a is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 6 -C 30 arylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; L 4 is selected from the group consisting of a bond, and optionally substituted phenoxy (-C 6 H 4 -O-); L 5 is selected from the group consisting of a bond and -CH 2 -; Q 2 at each occurrence is independently hydrogen or halogen; or two adjacent Q 2 form a double bond when adjacent Qs are present; or Z 2 and an adjacent Q 2 form a double bond; Z 2 is hydrogen, -N(R x)C(=O)R 5, -N(R x)COOR 6, -C OR 7 or -C NR x R y, or Z 2 and an adjacent Q 2 form a double bond; wherein R 5, R 6, R 7, R x and R y are independently at each occurrence selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, heteroalkyl, and heteroalkylaryl, wherein the non-hydrogen groups contain up to 30 carbon atoms, wherein the heteroalkyl group contains from 1 to 10 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S, and the heteroalkylaryl group contains from 1 to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S; and wherein A 1 is selected from the group consisting of: wherein R 8 is selected from a bond, C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene; C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 7 -C 30 heteroalkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 heteroalkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 heteroalkynylarylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; and wherein R 9 and R 10 are each independently selected from H, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenyl, and C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynyl; with the proviso that the biocompatible polymer is not poly(4'-hydroxyphenyethyl-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)acetate carbonate). j and k are each independently zero or an integer selected from 1 to 6, provided that j and k are not both 0; X 1 and X 2 are each independently bromine (Br) or iodine, and y 1 and y 2 are each independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; L 1 is selected from the group consisting of oxygen (-O-), -R 4 -C(=O)-O-, and -O-R 4a -O-C(=O)-; wherein R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 6 -C 30 arylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; and R 4a is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 6 -C 30 arylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; L 4 is selected from the group consisting of a bond, and optionally substituted phenoxy (-C 6 H 4 -O-); L 5 is selected from the group consisting of a bond and -CH 2 -; Q 2 at each occurrence is independently hydrogen or halogen; or two adjacent Q 2 form a double bond when adjacent Qs are present; or Z 2 and an adjacent Q 2 form a double bond; Z 2 is hydrogen, -N(R x)C(=O)R 5, -N(R x)COOR 6, -C OR 7 or -C NR x R y, or Z 2 and an adjacent Q 2 form a double bond; wherein R 5, R 6, R 7, R x and R y are independently at each occurrence selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, heteroalkyl, and heteroalkylaryl, wherein the non-hydrogen groups contain up to 30 carbon atoms, wherein the heteroalkyl group contains from 1 to 10 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S, and the heteroalkylaryl group contains from 1 to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S; and wherein A 1 is selected from the group consisting of: wherein R 8 is selected from a bond, C 1 -C 30 alkylene, C 2 -C 30 alkenylene, C 2 -C 30 alkynylene; C 1 -C 30 heteroalkylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenylene, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynylene, C 7 -C 30 heteroalkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 heteroalkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 heteroalkynylarylene, C 7 -C 30 alkylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkenylarylene, C 8 -C 30 alkynylarylene, and C 2 -C 30 heteroarylene; and wherein R 9 and R 10 are each independently selected from H, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 heteroalkenyl, and C 2 -C 30 heteroalkynyl; with the proviso that the biocompatible polymer is not poly(4'-hydroxyphenyethyl-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)acetate carbonate).