Patent ID: 8080615

Claim:
A process for preparing a random graft copolymer, comprising: reacting a reaction mixture comprising p-chloromethylstyrene monomers to form a p-chloromethylstyrene homopolymer comprising chloromethyl moieties and repeating units derived from p-chloromethylstyrene; reacting the p-chloromethylstyrene homopolymer with one or more oligomers or polymers of poly(ethylene oxide) to form a graft copolymer comprising chloromethyl moieties, wherein the poly(ethylene oxide) has only one nucleophilic end; and, reacting the graft copolymer with an azide compound to displace chlorine atoms of the chloromethyl moieties to form azidomethyl moieties on the graft copolymer, wherein the azide compound selected from the consisting of sodium azide or R(N 3 ) x , where R is a metal atom other than sodium, a hydrogen atom or an ammonium radical, and x is greater than zero.