Organic compounds

Abstract

A random copolymer corresponding to Formula I in free acid or salt form having the following types and numbers of monomer units; ##STR1## wherein A is selected from the moieties (i) and (ii); --CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 --CR.sub.3 R.sub.4 -- (i) wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are selected from substituted benzene, C.sub.1-8 alkyl, C.sub.2-8 alkenyl, C.sub.2-8 alkylcarbonyl, C.sub.1-8 alkoxy, carboxyl and hydrogen, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 can together with R.sub.2 and/or R.sub.4 form a ring; and R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 are selected from hydrogen and C.sub.1-4 alkyl; and ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are as for (i) and R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 are individually selected from hydrogen and C.sub.1-6 alkyl, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 together with R.sub.7 and/or R.sub.8, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 form a continuous C.sub.2-8 hydrocarbon chain joining the carbon atoms to which they are attached, the hydrocarbon chain optionally comprising at least one hetero atom and the ring optionally having at least one anionic group, preferably sulphonic; M is selected from hydrogen and the residue of a hydrophobic polyalkylene glycol or a polysiloxane, with the proviso that when A is (ii) and M is the residue of a hydrophobic polyalkylene glycol, M must be different from the group --(R.sub.5 O).sub.m R.sub.6 R.sub.5 is a C.sub.2-8 alkylene radical; R.sub.6 is selected from C.sub.1-20 alkyl, C.sub.6-9 cycloalkyl and phenyl; n, x and z are numbers from 1 to 100; y is 0 to 100; m is 2 to 100; and the ratio of x to (y+z) is from 1:10 to 10:1 and the ratio of y:z is from 5:1 to 1:100. The copolymers are useful as fluidifying agents in cementitious compositions such as concrete and mortar.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.