Synthetic wax materials with degradable linkers

A synthetic wax according to the following Formula IA or IB:

• wherein:
• R1 is a hydrocarbon group having 11 to 39 carbon atoms;
• R2 is a hydrocarbon linking group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms;
• n is 4 to 50;
• R3 is independently H or CH3 for each of the n repeat units;
• and
• R4 is H or hydrocarbon group having 2 to 40 carbon atoms, with the proviso that when R4 is H, then R1 contains at least one of a carboxylic group and an unsaturated carbon-carbon double bond.

A synthetic wax according to the following Formula I:

• wherein:
• A is a hydrocarbon ester group having 12 to 40 carbon atoms;
• B is an oligomeric residue of (i) n glycolic acid units, (ii) n lactic acid units, or (iii) n glycolic acid units and lactic acid units in total, where n is 4 to 50;
• C is either OH or a hydrocarbon ester group having 2 to 40 carbon atoms, with the proviso that when C is OH, then A contains at least one of a carboxylic group and an unsaturated carbon-carbon double bond;
• a is either absent, or present as a linking group between A and B;
• and
• b is either absent, or present as a linking group between B and C.