abstract |
The invention provides compounds containing the ring-opening products of ethylenically unsaturated cyclic carbonates for use in preparing hydrogel polymers, as well as methods for their preparation. A preferred method of the invention includes the reaction of nucleophilic compounds containing Si, F, N or O atoms, or combinations thereof, or latent moieties in the form of unsaturated or hydroxylated functional groups, with ethylenically unsaturated glycerol carbonate derivatives. The compounds and hydrogel polymers are useful for the preparation of contact lenses. |