Copolymers based on unsaturated dicarboxylic acid derivatives and oxyalkylene glycol alkenyl ethers

A copolymer based on unsaturated dicarboxylic acid derivatives and oxyalkylene glycol alkenyl ethers comprising:

• a. 1 to 90 mol. % of at least one member selected from the group consisting of structural units of Formula Ia and Formula Ib:
• wherein M is independently H, a monovalent cation;
• a bivalent cation, and ammonium ion or an organic amine;
• a=½ or 1;
• R1 is independently —OaM or —O—(CmH2mO)n—R2, wherein R2 is selected from the group consisting of H, a C1 to C20 aliphatic hydrocarbon, a C5 to C8 cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, substituted C6 to C14 aryl, and unsubstituted C6 to C14 aryl;
• wherein m is 2 to 4 and n is 1-200;
• b. 0.5 to 80 mol. % of the structural units of Formula II
• wherein R3 is independently H, a C1 to C5 aliphatic hydrocarbon;
• p is 0 to 3 and R2, m and n are defined as above;
• c. 0.5 to 80 mol. % of structural units selected from the group consisting of Formula IIIa and IIIb
• wherein R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, a C1 to C20 aliphatic hydrocarbon that may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, a C5 to C8 cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, and a C6 to C14 aryl which may optionally be substituted with a member selected from the group consisting of —COOaM, —(SO3)aM, —(PO3)aM2;
• —(CmH2mO)n—R2, and —CO—NH—R1;
• wherein M, a, R2, m and n are defined as above;
• and
• d. 1.0 to 90 mol. % of structural units of Formula IV
• wherein R5 is independently H, methyl or a possibly substituted methylene group, which, together with R7 forms one or more 5- to 8-membered rings;
• R6 is independently H, methyl or ethyl;
• and
• R7 is independently H, a C1 to C20 aliphatic hydrocarbon, a C5 to C8 cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, a C6 to C14 aryl which may be substituted;
• —OCOR4, —OR4, —OOR4, wherein R4 is defined as above.