Water-insoluble hydrophilic copolymers

Claim 1

A water-insoluble hydrophilic gel comprising the crosslinked copolymerization product of (A) about 30 to about 90% by weight of said gel of (a) a water-soluble monoolefinic monomer, or mixture of said monomers, or (b) a water-soluble monomer, or mixture of said monomers, with 1 to 50% by weight of total monomers of a water-insoluble monoolefinic monomer, or mixture of said water-insoluble monomers, with (B) about 10 to about 70% by weight of said gel of a terminal diolefinic hydrophobic macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to about 8000, said macromer having the formula ##STR6## wherein R 1 is a polycondensate chain having a molecular weight from about 200 to about 8000, which is the residue of a poly(propylene oxide) or poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol having ether linkages; R 2 is hydrogen, methyl or --CH 2 COOR 4 , wherein R 4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group with up to 10 carbon atoms; R 3 is hydrogen or COOR 4 , with the proviso that at least one of R 2 and R 3 is hydrogen; X is oxa, --COO--, or --CONR 5 -- is hydrogen or alkyl with up to 5 carbon atoms and Y is a direct bond or the radical --R 6 --Z 1 --CO--NH--R 7 --NH--CO--Z 2 --, wherein R 6 is linked to X and represents branched or linear alkylene with up to 7 carbon atoms; Z 1 and Z 2 is oxa or NR 5 and R 7 is the diradical of an aliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate, with the proviso that in case X is oxa, Y is different from a direct bond, and R 2 and R 3 are hydrogen.