Abstract: A sprayable liquid coating composition, particularly for application to foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, utilizes gaseous carbon dioxide to reduce the viscosity of a concentrated solution comprising an edible polymer and a solvent, such as ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. The addition of the gaseous carbon dioxide in the concentrated solution permits a sprayable composition to be produced using a significantly reduced level of solvent in the edible polymer/solvent solution. By reducing the amount of solvent used in the solution, the level of VOCs emission during the coating process also is reduced. Either supercritical carbon dioxide or subcritical carbon dioxide can be used as the gaseous carbon dioxide in the present invention.

Abstract: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylates, homopolymers or copolymers of norbornenes, and copolymers of acrylates with norbornenes, may be prepared by contacting acrylate and/or norbornene monomer reactant under polymerization conditions and in the presence of a solvent with a catalyst system consisting essentially of a Pd(II) dimer component having the formula: [(L)Pd(R)(X)]2, where L is a monodentate phosphorus or nitrogen ligand, X is an anionic group, and R is an alkyl or aryl group.

Abstract: A new class of “living” free radical initiators that are based on alkylperoxydiarylborane and its derivatives and that may be represented by the general formula. R—[O—O—B—&phgr;1(—&phgr;2)]n wherein n is from 1 to 4, R is a hydrogen or a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical having a molecular weight from 1 to about 500, and &phgr;1 and &phgr;2, independently, are selected from aryl radicals, based on phenyl or substituted phenyl groups, with the proviso that &phgr;1 and &phgr;2 can be the chemically bridged to each other with a linking group or with a direct chemical bond between the two aryl groups to form a cyclic ring structure that includes a boron atom are disclosed.

Abstract: A new class of “living” free radical initiators that are based on alkylperoxydiarylborane and its derivatives and that may be represented by the general formula. R—[O—O—B-&phgr;1(-&phgr;2)]n wherein n is from 1 to 4, R is a hydrogen or a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical having a molecular weight from 1 to about 500, and &phgr;1 and &phgr;2, independently, are selected from aryl radicals, based on phenyl or substituted phenyl groups, with the proviso that &phgr;1 and &phgr;2 can be the chemically bridged to each other with a linking group or with a direct chemical bond between the two aryl groups to form a cyclic ring structure that includes a boron atom are disclosed.

Abstract: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylates, homopolymers or copolymers of norbornenes, and copolymers of acrylates with norbornenes, may be prepared by contacting acrylate and/or norbornene monomer reactant under polymerization conditions and in the presence of a solvent with a catalyst system consisting essentially of a Pd(II) dimer component having the formula: [(L)Pd(R)(X)]2, where L is a monodentate phosphorus or nitrogen ligand, X is an anionic group, and R is an alkyl or aryl group.