Patent ID: 7179872

Claim:
A method of preparing a polymer or copolymer, comprising reacting: a) a polymerizable monomer or co-monomer; b) a dithioester represented by the structural formula: wherein: j is an integer from 1 to about 12; k is an integer from 0 to 5; each R p is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of —SO 3 − M + , —COOH, —COO − M + , —NH 2 , —NR′ 2 , —NR′H, —NR′ 3 + X − , PO 4 − M + , —OH, —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) x OH, CONH 2 , CONHR′, CONR′ 2 , NR′(CH 2 ) x COO − M + , —NR′(CH 2 ) x OPO 3 − M + , —NR′(CH 2 ) x SO 3 − M + , —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 ) x COO − M + , —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 ) x OPO 3 − M + , —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 ) x SO 3 − M + , and —SCN; W is selected from the group consisting of —SO 3 − M + , —COOH, —COO − M + , —PO 4 − M + , —NR′ 2 , —NR′ 3 + X − , —NR′(CH 2 ) x COO − M + , —NR′(CH 2 ) x OPO 3 − M + , —NR′(CH 2 ) x SO 3 − M + , —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 ) x COO − M + , —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 )OPO 3 − M + and —N + R′ 2 (CH 2 ) x SO 3 − M + ; M + is ammonia, an animonium ion, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion, or hydronium; R′ is independently hydrogen or an alkyl group; X − is selected from the group consisting of halide, sulfate phosphate, carboxylate and sulfonate; and x is an integer from 1 to about 20; and c) free radicals produced by a free radical source in a solvent.