Patent ID: 7872082

Claim:
A synthetic method comprising: a) combining a composition comprising a plurality of amine-terminated, water-soluble polymers, each amine-terminated, water-soluble polymer in the plurality encompassed by having the structure, POLY-(X 2 ) c —NH 2 , wherein POLY is a water-soluble polymer, (c) is zero or one, and X 2 , when present, is a spacer moiety, with a composition comprising a plurality of maleimide reagents, each maleimide reagent in the plurality encompassed by the structure, wherein Y 1 is O or S, Y 2 is O or S, (a) is an integer from 1 to 20, R 1 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, R 2 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, R 3 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, and R 4 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, under substantially nonaqueous conditions to form a composition comprising a plurality of substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymers, each substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymer in the plurality encompassed by the structure, wherein POLY is a water-soluble polymer, (b) is zero or one, X 1 , wherein present, is a spacer moiety, Y 1 is O or S, Y 2 is O or S, (a) is an integer from 1 to 20, R 1 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, R 2 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, R 3 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, and R 4 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical; b) isolating the substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymer to form a polymer composition wherein at least about 90% of all polymer species in the composition are substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymers; c) forming a dissolved substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymer composition by dissolving substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymers contained within the substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymer composition; and d) exposing the dissolved substituted maleamic acid-terminated, water-soluble polymer composition to elimination conditions to thereby result in a composition comprising a plurality of maleimide-terminated, water-soluble polymers, each maleimide-terminated, water-soluble polymer in the plurality encompassed by the structure, wherein, POLY is a water-soluble polymer, (b) is zero or one, X 1 , wherein present, is a spacer moiety, R 3 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, and R 4 , in each instance, is independently H or an organic radical, wherein the elimination conditions comprise conditions selected from the group consisting of heating, addition of a drying agent, and combinations thereof.