Functionalized phenolic compounds and polymers therefrom

A compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

• Ar—[O—(X)p—R′]q (I)
• wherein:
• Ar is the remainder of a phenolic residue and is selected from:
• resorcinol, catechol, dihydroxy-naphthyl, tri-hydroxy-naphthyl, tetra-hydroxy-naphthyl, unsubstituted hydroquinone, tri-hydroxy-phenyl, di-hydroxy-benzoic acids, and isoflavones;
• X is independently at each occurrence selected
• from:
• —CH2COO—;
• —CH(CH3)COO—;
• —CH2CH2OCH2COO—;
• —CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2COO—;
• —(CH2)yCOO—;
• and, —(CH2CH2O)zCH2COO—;
• y is independently selected from 2, 3, 4 and 6-24;
• z is independently selected from 2-24;
• R′ is selected from H, benzyl, and C1-6 alkyl;
• p is independently selected from 2, 3, and 4;
• and,
• q is selected from 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.