| abstract |
A polymeric material having low tack which has a straight or branched chain carbon-carbon polymer backbone and a multiplicity of side chains attached to the backbone wherein the side chains, which are attached directly to carbon atoms of the polymer backbone, have the formula (I) or have the formula (II) wherein R1 is H, -C(O)OR4 or -C(O)Q and R2 is -C(O)OR4 or -C(O)Q provided that at least one of R1 and R2 is the group -C(O)Q; R3 is H or -CH3 ; R4 is H or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Q is a group having the formula -O-(YO)b-(ZO)c-R5, wherein each of Y and Z is, independently, an alkylene group having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and R5 is H or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; a is 3 or 4 and each of b and c is, independently, 0 or an integer of from 1 to 125 provided that the sum b + c has a value in the range of from 10 to 250, preferably from 10 to 120. The polymeric material may be used to replace at least part of a water-insoluble gum base in a chewing gum composition to give a composition exhibiting reduced adhesion to surfaces. |