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 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 polymer of formula (I) wherein: R and R? are each 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 and n is greater than 1; X is hydrogen or a cation or an alkyl group; one of R2, R3, R4, R5 is a phosphonate or a sulphonate group and the remainder of R2, R3, R4, R5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, alkoxy, hydroxy, hydroxy or carboxy substituted alkyl, phosphonate or sulphonate groups and a is from 1 to 5; R6, R7, R8, R9 are each independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, hydroxy, alkoxy, hydroxy or carboxy substituted alkyl or carboxy groups and b is from 5 to 200. The polymer has uses in the fields of water treatment and corrosion inhibition.