Patent ID: 8282959

Claim:
A composition of matter comprising at least one compound of the formula: Q[(PA)X(RY) z ] m ; wherein: (i) X is selected from the group consisting of: CH 3-z , N, N(acetoacetamide)-CH 3-z , S—R 2 —CH 3-z , NH—CH 3-z , and NH—R 2 —N, wherein R 2 is an alkylene group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; (ii) R is selected from the group consisting of: a direct bond, an alkylene group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkylene ether group having up to a total of 6 backbone atoms, an alkyleneoxy urethane group of the formula R 4 O(CO)NHCH 2 wherein R 4 is a linear or branched alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and R 4 is the group that is adjacent to X, and a C3 to C8 cycloalkylene group; (iii) Y is a functional group selected from the group consisting of: —NH 2 , —SH, —CONHNH 2 , acetoacetate, and —COR 1 , wherein R 1 is OH or —N-hydroxysuccinimidyl; (iv) Q is a core atom or molecule selected from the group consisting of: N, a polyol with the hydrogens removed from 3 or more of its OH groups, and N—R 3 —N, wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 2-12 carbon atoms or a C3 to C8 cycloalkylene group; (v) PA is a linear polymeric arm terminating with a methylene group at both ends of said arm, wherein said arm is a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene oxide, poly(trimethyleneoxide), block or random copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide, and triblock copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide; (vi) z is 2 or 3 where X=CH 3-z , S—R 2 —CH 3-z , N(acetoacetamide)-CH 3-z or NH—CH 3-z and z is 2 where X=N, NH—R 2 —N, or S—R 2 —N; and (vii) m is 3 where Q is N, m is 4 where Q is N—R 3 —N, and m is 3 to 16 where Q is said polyol; provided that if Y is acetoacetate or COR 1 , wherein R 1 is N-hydroxysuccinimidyl, then X is not NH—CH 3-z , or NH—R 2 —N.