Radiopaque polymers

Abstract

A hydrophilic polymer comprising pendent groups of the formula I: Wherein: W is independently selected from —OH, —COOH, —SOH, —OPOH, —O—(Calkyl), —O—(Calkyl)OH, —O—(Calkyl)R, —O—(CHO)R—(C═O)—O—Calkyl and —O—(C═O)Calkyl; or a group —BZ; wherein —OH, COOH, O—POH and SOH maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; wherein: B is a bond, or a straight branched alkanediyl, oxyalkylene, alkylene oxaalkylene, or alkylene (oligooxalkylene) group, optionally containing one or more fluorine substituents; and Z is an ammonium, phosphonium, or sulphonium phosphate or phosphonate ester zwitterionic group; X is either a bond or a linking group having 1 to 8 carbons and optionally 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; G is a coupling group through which the group of the formula I is coupled to the polymer and is selected from ether, ester, amide, carbonate, carbamate, 1,3 dioxolone, and 1,3 dioxane; Ris H or Calkyl; Ris —COOH, —SOH, or —OPOHq is an integer from 1 to 4; n is an integer from 1 to 4; p is an integer from 1 to 3; and n+p is from 2 to 5; and wherein —COOH, —OPOHand —SOH as well as phenolic —OH maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.