Patent ID: 8466327

Claim:
A compound of the formula: OHC—CH 2 —S—(P)—S—-CH 2 CHO; or a) Q[(PA)-S—CH 2 CHO] m b) wherein: (i) P is a linear polymeric segment terminating with a methylene group at both ends of said segment, wherein said segment is derived from a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene oxide, poly(trimethyleneoxide), poly(tetramethyleneoxide), block or random copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide, and triblock copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide; (ii) Q is a core molecule consisting of a polyol containing at least a number m of OH groups and with the hydrogen removed from at least m of said OH groups; (iii) PA is a linear polymeric arm terminating with a methylene group at both ends of said arm, wherein said arm is derived from a polymer selected from polyethylene oxide, poly(trimethyleneoxide), poly(tetramethyleneoxide), block or random copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide, and triblock copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide; (iv) S is a sulfur atom; and (v) m =2 to 16.