Water soluble norbornene-type polymers and photoimageable compositions thereof

A method for making a water soluble norbornene-type polymer comprising:

• charging a reaction vessel with a first type of norbornene-type monomer represented by Formula A1:
• where m is 0 or 1, at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 is a saccharide functional moiety selected from monosaccharide, disaccharide, trisaccharide, oligosaccharide or a polysaccharide, and the remaining R1, R2, R3, and R4 are hydrogen;
• further charging the reaction vessel with an appropriate solvent, a catalyst, a suitable chain transfer activating agent, and an optional co-catalyst where the monomer to catalyst ratio is at least 500/1;
• providing agitation to the reaction vessel contents to promote dissolution of the first type of norbornene-type monomer, catalyst, chain transfer activating agent and optional co-catalyst in the solvent;
• and
• providing heat and continued agitation to the contents for a time sufficient to facilitate polymerization of the first type of norbornene-type monomer to obtain a polymer having a controlled weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 18,000 to 200,000.