Process of microgel synthesis and products produced therefrom

A microgel containing one or more of the following functionalities:

• wherein R and P are free radical leaving groups;
• and wherein,
• R is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkynyl, unsubstituted or substituted saturated carbocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted unsaturated carbocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted aromatic carbocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted saturated heterocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted unsaturated heterocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted aromatic heterocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted alkylthio group, and a first polymer chain having a number average degree of polymerization in the range of 5 to 1000;
• Z is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted C3 to C18 heterocyclic ring, unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 alkylthio, SR, unsubstituted or substituted arylthio, unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 alkoxy, unsubstituted or substituted aryloxy, unsubstituted or substituted amino, unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 alkoxycarbonyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryloxycarbonyl, carboxy, unsubstituted or substituted C1 to C18 acyloxy, unsubstituted or substituted aroyloxy, unsubstituted or substituted carbamoyl, cyano, C2 to C18 dialkyl-phosphonato, diaryl-phosphonato, C1 to C18 dialkyl-phosphinato, diaryl-phosphinato and a second polymer chain having a number average degree of polymerization in the range of 5 to 1000;
• P is an oligomer or polymer having a number average degree of polymerization in the range of 2 to 1000 or said first polymer chain;
• X is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted or substituted aryl, C1 to C18 alkoxycarbonyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryloxycarboyl, carboxy, unsubstituted or substituted aryloxycarbonyl, C1 to C18 carboxy, and cyano;
• and
• wherein the substituents for the substituted groups for R, Z and X are independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, tertiary amino, halogen, cyano, epoxy, carboxylic acid, alkoxy, alkyl having 1 to 32 carbon atoms, aryl, alkenyl having 2 to 32 carbon atoms, alkynyl having from 2 to 32 carbon atoms, saturated carbocyclic rings having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, unsaturated carbocyclic rings having 4 to 14 carbon atoms, aromatic carbocyclic rings having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, saturated heterocyclic rings having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, unsaturated heterocyclic rings having 3 to 14 carbon atoms and aromatic carbocyclic rings having 6 to 14 carbon atoms.