Patent ID: 7655747

Claim:
A method for preparing POLY(-W-X-P′) y , said method comprising: reacting a polymer, POLY(-W-T) y , with a molecule, Y-P′, under conditions effective to form POLY(-W-X-P′) y , where: POLY is a branched or linear water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer, W is a hydrolytically unstable linkage selected from the group consisting of —O 2 C—(CH 2 ) b —O—, where b is from 1 to 5, —O—(CH 2 ) b —CO 2 —(CH 2 ) c —, where b is from 1 to 5 and c is from 2-5, —O—(CH 2 ) b —CO 2 —(CH 2 ) c —O—, where b is from 1 to 5 and c is from 2-5, —(CH 2 ) b —OPO 3 —(CH 2 ) b′ —, where b is 1-5 and b′ is 1-5, —C(O)—(NH—CHR—CO) a —NH—CHR—, where a is 2 to 20 and R is a substituent found on an α-amino acid, —O—(CH 2 ) b —CO 2 —CHCH 3 —CH 2 —, where b is from 1-5, —O—C 6 H 4 —CH═N—(CH 2 ) b —O—, where b is from 1-5, —O—(CH 2 ) b —CH 2 —CH═N—(CH 2 ) b —O—, where each b is independently from 1-5, T is a reactive group, y is a number from 1 to 200, Y is a functional group present on molecule, P′, that is reactive with T, Z is either —O—C 6 H 4 — or —O—(CH 2 ) d —CH 2 — o is 1-10, d is 1-5 R′ is alkyl or H, and X is a covalent linkage coupling said W to said P′.