Abstract: A phosphorus-containing polymer is provided comprising the reaction product of a chain-transfer agent having at least one pH bond with an unsaturated carboxylic, phosphonic or sulphonic acid. The invention also provides the aforementioned phosphorus-containing polymer further comprising phosphorus-containing end-caps. The polymers have a biodegradability of at least 20% per 28 days (as determined by OECD 306).

Abstract: A scale and corrosion inhibitor for use in the treatment of water comprises at least one oxyalkylene unit and at least one phosphonate unit (e.g. a unit derived prom a mono- or di-phosphonic acid such as VPA or VDPA). Inhibitors according to the present invention have been found to exhibit both scale-inhibiting and corrosion-inhibiting properties, especially in the treatment of cooling water and water used in oilfield applications.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I), wherein each of R and R′ are independently selected from hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group or a hydroxy or carboxy substituted alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group, provided that R and R′, together have a total of less than 23 carbon atoms, R″ may either be hydrogen or a CHR═CR1 group or be selected from the same categories as R′″; R′″ is a group, or polymeric chain comprising from 1 to 100,000 groups, said group or groups being derived form at least one ethylenically unsaturated compound wherein the double bond is activated by an adjacent electron withdrawing group, and n is greater than 1 are novel, are useful corrosion inhibitors and are valuable intermediates in preparing telomers for use in water treatment.

Abstract: A scaled and corrosion inhibitor for the use in the treatment of water comprises at least one oxyalkylene unit and at least one phosphonate unit (e.g. a unit derived from a mono- or di-phosphonic acid such as VPA or VDPA). Inhibitors according to the present invention have been found to exhibit both scale-inhibiting and corrosion-inhibiting properties, especially in the treatment of cooling water and water used in oilfield applications.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I), wherein each of R and R′ are independently selected from hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group or a hydroxy or carboxy substituted alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group, provided that R R′, together have a total of less than 23 carbon atoms, R″ may either be hydrogen or a CHR═CR1 group or be selected from the same categories as R′″; R′″ is a group, or polymeric chain comprising from 1 to 100,000 groups, said group or groups being derived form at least one ethylenically unsaturated compound wherein the double bond is activated by an adjacent electron withdrawing group, and n is greater than 1 are novel, are useful corrosion inhibitors and are valuable intermediates in preparing telomers for use in water treatment.

Abstract: The reaction of compounds of the formula:X.sub.2 O.sub.3 P CHY CZ.sub.2where Y and each Z are each H, PO.sub.3 X.sub.2, SO.sub.3 X or CO.sub.2 X (e.g. vinyl phosphonic acid or vinylidene diphosphonic acid) with hypophosphorous acid in the presence of free radicals provides novel compounds X.sub.2 O.sub.3 PCHYCZ.sub.2 PO.sub.2 XH which react with monomers such as vinyl sulphonate, vinyl phosphonate, vinylidene diphosphonate and acrylic acid to form telomers useful for scale inhibition, especially barium scale in oil wells. The polymers show better absorption to rock than PVSA and better thermal stability than random copolymers containing equivalent phosphorus.

Abstract: Phosphonic acid polymers are prepared from di- or polyphosphonic acids having one or more unsaturated C.dbd.C bonds (e.g. vinylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid), either as homopolymers or as higher polymers with at least one further compound having unsaturated C.dbd.C bonds (e.g. acrylic acid). The polymers can be used as, or in connection with, flame-retardants, corrosion inhibitors, coatings, cements and ion exchange resins.