CA1238135A - Unsaturated polysiloxanes, polymerizable compositions and contact lenses thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Unsaturated polysiloxanes, polymerizable compositions and contact lenses thereof Abstract of the Disclosure Polysiloxanes of uniform molecular weight (MW) distribution with 400-10,000 MW segments of polysiloxane and containing at least one vinyl group connected to said polysiloxane segments through intervening alkylene-urea or -urethane linkages are prepared from polysiloxane-polyols, -polyamines or -polythiols by reaction with an unsaturated compound containing an isocyanato moiety, for example 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate. The polysiloxanes containing the vinyl groups are useful as radiation- or thermally curable coatings for glass, textiles, plastics, wood, ceramics, metals, as films or bandages for medicinal purposes, or molded shapes, in form of contact lenses, catheters or implants, either by themselves or in combination with other vinyl monomers; and are particularly useful in preparing hard or soft contact lenses, including hydrogel contact lenses.

Description

- ~238~35 Reactions of polysiloxane intermediates, which con-lain hydroxyl, amino or they'll groups, attached by an inter-vexing alkaline group to the Septum, with an equivalent amount of diisocyanate, followed by end capping with a hydroxy- or aminoalkyl (meth)acrylate, are for instance described in U.S. 4, 136, 250, U.S. 4,130,708 and 4, 486,577.
Since urethane and urea formation proceeds at low tempera-lures and without evolution of by-products, this is a precut-eel synthesis, especially where the final objective is a contact lens with uniform properties and maximal reproduce-ability. Further advantages of polyurethane and pullers are their great strength and flexibility and good compute-ability and clarity in combination with second polymers, this being a result of inter-chain hydrogen bonding as in nylon.

However, a remaining disadvantage of the structure and synthesis described in U.S. 4,136,250 and 4,486,577 is, that due to the statistical nature of step-growth polyp merization kinetics a certain amount of chain extension reactions always occurs during the reaction of the dip isocyanate with the polysiloxane-diol, leading in the best case to a difficult to control or reproduce increase in viscosity and increase in poly-dispersity of the prepolymer, and in the worst case to premature gelatin or at least the danger of premature gelatin. Although in applications such as photo-curable coatings, small variations in polymer dispersity and functionality are of little concern, in other applications, for instance in the preparation of oxygen permeable hard and soft contact lenses precise batch-to-batch reproducibility is of outmost importance in order to I

123~313S

meet narrow specifications of hardness, flexibility and clarity.

- It has now been discovered that the above mentioned problems can be overcome and a radiation or thermally cur-able superior unsaturated polydimethylsiloxane be Cynthia-sized if a polydimethylsiloxane of 400-10,000 molecular weight, and containing at least two -OH, IT or ASH groups is reacted with an unsaturated monoisocyanate, for example with 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (ITEM), 2-isocyanoethyl acrylate, 3-isocyanatopropyl methacrylate, l-methyl- and 1,1-dimethyl-2-isocyanatoethyl acrylate or methacrylate, of which 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate is preferred. Also useful in the context of the present invention are vinyl isocyanate and 2-isocyanatoethyl fumarate.

The instant invention pertains to a polysiloxane containing at least one unsaturated group suitable for sub-sequent polymerization with one or more vinyl monomers.

The instant invention also relates to copolymers containing the polysiloxane as one component, and paretic-ularly to contact lenses comprising the cross linked Capella-merization product of said polysiloxane macromer with one or more water-soluble and/or water-insoluble monoolefinic and diolefinic monomers.

123~3135 The Polysiloxane Macromer (A) me polysiloxane macromer of this invention is a linear or branched polysiloxane macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to about 100,000, as measured by end group analysis or gel permeation chromatography, said macromer containing at least one terminal or pendant, polymerizable olefinic group and at least one such polymeric sable olefinic group per each 5000 molecular weight unit of polysiloxane, said group being attached to the polysiloxane through one urethane, thiourethane or urea linkage, said macromer having the structure Al, A, A or A

Y--x_R~ I} (I ~Lsi Rex Y

R2 1 if I 2 Rye X
Y
_ ye , (R2)3SiO~SiO~SiO--_5i0 I Syria (A) _ Ok Al Al Al Rj x2 X

_ _ Ye - ~238~35 Yl-(T-R4)n-T-Yl (A) Yl-(Tl~R4)n~Tl-Yl (A) wherein:
Al is a linear or branched alkaline group with 2-6 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene group of structure G or Go - [SCHICK ] pCH2CH- (G ) - [C~2CH2CH2CH20] pcH2cH2cH2cH2-- (Go ) wherein R3 is hydrogen or methyl and p is an integer from 1-50~ R2, Ret Rub, ARC, Rod, Rev Of, Rug Rho Rip Rj and Ok are independently methyl or phenol, Al, x2, are integers from 1 to 500 with the proviso that the sum of Al + X2 is 7 to 1300, Ye is O to 14 and Ye is 1 to 13 with the proviso that the ratio of Al + X2 or Al + X2 is not greater than 70, Ye + 2 Ye + 1 X is -Z l-CO-NH-Al is oxygen, sulfur or NRs, wherein Us is hydrogen or Cl-C4-alkyl, Al is connected Jo Al;
Ye is I

-R7-O--CH=CH

I., ~38135 wherein:
R6 is: hydrogen, methyl, Coors or -COREY, Z2 = oxygen or -NRs-, Y is the same as Ye, or Y is H, alkyd of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, cyclohexyl, phenol, o-tolyl, m-tolyl or p-tolyl, with the proviso that at least one of Y must have the same meaning as Ye, R7 is a linear or branched alkaline of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, phenylene or phenylalkylene with 2 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkaline, or polyoxyalkylene of structure G or Go;
R8 is an alkaline group of from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, R4 is a diradical obtained by removing the NCO-groups from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate;

T is the group - X - I 3 Slur - X-R2 Al Rye ~L~38~3S

To i, the group Rug Rho - (R2) 3Siotsio~t so Rio Shea so try ok Al I I Rj x2 X X

n is lo 10.

The compounds of structures (Al) and (A) are thus polysiloxanes connected by a urethane or urea linkage to vinyl groups which may be acrylic or methacrylic, fumaric, malefic or itaconic esters or vinyl ether in nature.

The compounds of structures (A) and (A) are extended or oligomeric polysiloxanes where the original polysiloxane-polyol, -polyamide or -polythiol is first extended with a diisocyanate molecule giving group R4.

,.

~.2~8~L3~

The resulting extended product is then reacted with a vinyl containing monoisocyanate to form the compounds of structures A or A.

Preferred embodiments of the instant invention have Al = alkaline of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, R2, Ray Rub, Arc, Rod, Ron Of, Rut Rho Rip Rj and Ok =
methyl, Al + X3 = 10 to 100, Ye = O to 2, Ye = 1 to 3, Al = oxygen or IT
R4 = diradical of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diisocyanate with 6 to 10 carbon atoms Y is the same as Ye, R6 = hydrogen, R8 = -CH2CH2-;
I = oxygen or I
H3C-~C-C~3 SHEA

Most preferrer embodiments include the Polysiloxane of structure: (A), Zlr Z2 = oxygen, and Ye = 1 or 2; or polysiloxanes of structures A
or A where R4 = diradical of isophorone diisocyanate.

, ., ~238~3S

The unsaturated polysiloxane of the present invention is synthesized by reaction of a polysiloxane of general structures Lo or Lo with an isocyanate substituted vinyl compound. These intermediates are largely items of commerce.

Poly-functional Polysiloxanes, useful as starting materials for the macromer (A), are of structures:

R2 Al Al ~li-RlZlH
H Ye Rug 5j(R2)3 Lo Ye + 1 wherein Al, R2, Ray Rub, Arc, Rod, Pow Of, Rug/ Rho Rip Rj, Ok, Al, x2, Yule Yo-yo and awry defined as described above.

123~3S

The isocyanato functional vinyl compound useful to react with the polysiloxanes of structure Lo or Lo is an NO substituted alkyd acrylate or methacrylate of general structure H2C=C-COOR~-NCO wherein R6 is defined as above and R8 is an alkaline group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms.
Examples include:

2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate, 2-isocyanoethyl acrylate, 3-isocyanatopropyl methacrylate, methyls-cyanatoethyl methacrylate and l,l-dimethyl-2-isocyanato-ethyl acrylate with 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate being preferred. Suitable methods of preparing said isocyanato esters are well known, e.g. as shown in U.S. Patent No.
2,718,516, and British Patent No. 1,252,099.

The preferred monomer is 2-isocyanatoethyl moth-acrylate (Isle). Other monomers include isocyanato-alkyl vinyl ethers, such as 2-isocyanatobutyl vinyl ether, and esters such as 2-isocyanatoethyl fumurate and vinyl isocyanate. Also useful are monoisocyanates obtained by the reaction of 1 mow of a hydroxy or a amino functional alkyd vinyl monomer with 1 mow of diisocyanate, for instance the reaction products of 2-hydroxyethyl methacry-late, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl methacry-late, 3-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether or t-butylaminoethyl moth-acrylate with isophorone diisocyanate, (3,3,4)-trimethyl-hexane-1,6-diisocyanate, Tulane diisocyanate, diphenyl-methane-4,4'-diisocyanate or the live.

~23~35 If the polyfunctional polysiloxane of structure Lo or Lo contains more than two functional groups, it is also possible to cap one of these groups with acid chlorides, such as bouncily chloride, or with androids such as malefic, phthalic or norbornyl-anhydride, or with monoisocyanates such as bottle or phenol isocyanate before carrying out any further polycondensation and chain extension reaction or capping with the isocyanato-sub-stituted vinyl monomer as described below.

The reaction of the polysiloxane-polyol, -polyamide or -polythiol is carried out under conditions sufficient to cause the isocyanato group to react with the -OH, -ill or ASH

group of the polysiloxane to for an urethane, urea or thiourethane linkage. Advantageously, polyurethane formation is carried out in the presence of a catalyst, preferably an organometallic catalyst such as stuns octet or dibutyltin dilaurate. the conditions employed in carrying out the urethane reaction involve maintaining the reaction mixture of the reactive polysiloxane and the isocyanatoalkyl ester, preferably neat, or alternatively dissolved in a non-reactive solvent such as ether, ethyl acetate, Tulane or cello solve acetate, at a temperature from ambient to 140C in a vessel with a reaction time from about 1 to about 24 hours. Puller formation from a polysiloxane polyamide, with either primary or secondary amino groups proceeds rapidly without additional catalyst at room temperature. The amount of the isocyanatoalkyl ester can be stoichiometric or slightly in excess of the ~,.~

~3~3~

pendant functional groups of the polysiloxane. However, the amount of ITEM needed is preferably less than the stoichiometric amounts, particularly if only partial capping of the polyol is desired.

At least one of the reactive groups on polysiloxanes Lo or Lo is reacted with the isocyanato functional unsaturated monomer and a moo, dip in- or polyunsaturated polysiloxane is obtained with a molecular weight distribution identical to the starting polysiloxane and containing, dependent on the degree of vinyl-substitution, zero to several retaining hydroxyl, amino or they'll groups.

If all available reactive groups on Lo or Lo are replaced with a vinyl group, then the resulting dip or polyvinyl polysiloxanes can be used directly with or without additional vinyl monomers for free-radical polymerizations to form cross lined polymers. If one or several of the reactive groups remain unsubstituted, the resulting moo- or polyvinyl polysiloxanes can either be used as is for free-radical polymerization, or can be used for additional reactions, such as polycondensation reactions with diisocyanates, androids, dozed chlorides, dissuades, divesters, epoxies, as jell as chain extension reactions with diisocyanates and dominoes or dills.

123~35 Chain extension reactions are easily carried out especially with polysiloxane dialkanols and diisocyanates before reaction with the isn't alkyl-vinyl monomer and thereby offer a way to adjust the erosslink-density of the final polymer. It is also possible to introduce additional vinyl groups by reaction of the isocyanate-funetional polysiloxane-prepolymers with hydroxyalkyl (meth)aerylates or N-tert.-butylaminoethyl ~ethacrylate, as described in U.S. 4,136,250.

Useful building blocs in carrying out such polygon-sensations include malefic android, and 1,4-butanediol or 1,4-butynediol to introduce unsaturation, or polyethylene oxide-diols or -dominoes to introduce hydrophilicity.
Diisocyanates useful for carrying out chain extension reaction include:

ethylene doesn't, 1,2-diisocyanatopropane, dyes-eyanatopropane. 1,6-diisoeyanatohexane, doesn't-election, 1,3-diisoeyanatoeyelohexane, doesn't-election, o-diisoeyanatobenzene, m-diisoeyanatobenzene, p-diisoeyanatohenzene, bis(4-isocyanatocyelohexyl)methane, bis(4-isoeyanatoeyclohexanyl)methane, bis(4-isocyanato-phenyl)methane, Tulane diisocyanate, 3,3-dichloro-4,4'-diisoeyanatobiphenyl, tris(4-isoeyanatophenyl)methane, 1,5-diisoeyanatonaphthalene, hydrogenated Tulane doesn't, l-isocyanatomethyl-5-isocyanato-1,3,3-tri-methyleyelohexane (= isophorone diisocyanate), Tracy-(6-isocyanatohexyl)biuret, 1,6-diisocyanato -2,2,4-(4,2,2)-trimethylhexane.

Lo It is thus possible to form either linear or branched moo- or polyunsaturated polysiloxanes with molecular weights ranging from 400 to 100,000, or to form cross linked unsaturated PD~Si-polyurethane rubbers.

The resulting polysiloxanes having pendant ethylenically unsaturated groups are generally used without further purification. If a solvent has been used in the reaction, it can be removed, or the composition containing the solvent can be employed as is.

The urethane-polysiloxane is generally a resinous (solid or semisolid) or viscous liquid material which varies in number average molecular weight (yin) from about 400 to about 100,000, preferably from about 500 to about 10,000, depending on the My of the polysiloxane used as a starting material. For purposes of this invention, My (number average molecular weight) is determined by measuring percent active hydrogen of the starting polyp selection while the molecular weight distribution is determined by gel permeation-chromatography.

Preferably the unsaturated polysiloxanes of the present invention are used in combination with other vinyl-monomers to make cross linked polysiloxane-polyvinyl-block copolymers.

The great variety of monomeric reactants makes it possible to prepare either hard, highly cross linked copolymers with suitable acrylic, methacrylic or other vinyl monomers, or to prepare soft, rubber like copolymers with low cross link density.

~23~31~

It is also possible to prepare-by copolymerization with hydrophilic monomers polysiloxane-hydrogels with water contents ranging up to 80%; such compositions are especially useful as highly oxygen-permeable soft contact lenses.

Reactive monomers which can be employed together with the unsaturated polysiloxane include moo- or poly-ethylenically unsaturated monomers which undergo additional polymerization upon exposure to UV-radiation or chemical initiation.

If the polyunsaturated polysiloxanes are to be used in biocompatible materials, especially in either hard or soft contact lenses, a balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties is required and water-soluble as well as water-insoluble comonomers can be used.

The water-insoluble vinyl monomers (By) useful in the present invention are:

Acrylates and methacrylates of the general structure:
lo H2C=C-cOORl2 acrylamides and methacrylamides of structure:

US

IRK

H 2CSc-CON H -Al 2 Maltese and fumarates of structures:

H l_COOR12 itaconates:
Cool 2 H2C=~
SHAKER

vinyl esters Al kooks vinyl ethers H2C=CH-O-R12 wherein R12 is a linear or branched aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic alkyd group with from 1 to 21 carbon atoms and which may contain ether or thither linkages or a -CO- group; R12 may also be a heterocyclic ~23t3~3S

alkyd group containing oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms, or a polypropylene oxide or poly-n-butylene oxide group with from 2 to 50 repeating alkoxy units.

In addition, the R12 group may contain halogen atoms, especially fluorine in form of per fluorinated alkyd groups with from 1-12 carbon atoms; or it may contain selection groups with from one to six So atoms; and may contain -SO- and -S02- groups.

Included among the useful monomers are: methyl-;
ethyl-; propel-; isopropyl-; bottle-; isobutyl-;
tert.-butyl-; ethoxyethyl-; methoxyethyl-; bouncily-;
phenol-; cyclohexyl-; trimethylcyclohexyl-; isobornyl-;
dicyclopentadienyl-; norbornylmethyl-; cyclododecyl-;
1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl-; n-butyl-; n-octyl-;
2-ethylhexyl-; decal-; dodecyl-; tridecyl-; octadecyl-;
glycidyl-; ethylthioethyl-; furfuryl-; hexafluoro-isopropyl-; 1,1,2,2-tetra~ydroperfluorododecyl-; in-, twitter- or penta-siloxanyl propel- acrylates and methacrylates, as well as the corresponding asides;
~l-(l,l-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl)acrylamide; moo- and dim ethyl fumarate, Malta and itaconate; deathly fumarate;
isopropyl and diisopropyl fumarate and itaconate; moo- and diphenyl and methyl phenol fumarate and itaconate; methyl vinyl ether and methoxyethyl vinyl ether; vinyl acetate, vinyl preappoint, vinyl bonniest, acrylonitrile, styrenes alpha-methyl~styrene and tert-butylstyrene.

~L;23~

In order to achieve the high clarity necessary for contact-lens application sit is especially useful to use comonomers or comonomer mixtures whose corresponding polymers closely match in volubility parameter (~) and/or refractive index (RI) the values of polydimethylsiloxane (I = 15; RI = 1.43). Such monomers are, for example, isobornyl methacrylate, tert.-butyl methacrylate and mixtures of hydrocarbon methacrylates (RI 1.46) with fluorine containing monomers, like hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate; trifluoroethyl methacrylate;
1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluoroalkyl methacrylate or Thea-perfluoroalkyl-hexyl methacrylate, where alkyd is a carbon chain of 5-12 C atoms (issue of 1.38-1.40) (~<15). In addition, perfluoroalkyl groups containing monomers greatly enhance the oxygen permeability ox the polymers in a synergistic manner with the polysiloxane; as such they are accordingly especially preferred comonomers.

For making hard lenses, the preferred comonomer content is 50-85% by weight of the total polymer with the preferred comonomer being methyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate or hexafluoroisopropyl metllacrylate, styrenes or mixtures thereof.

Most preferably the comonomer is methyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate or cyclohexyl methacrylate, or mixtures thereof. Also most preferred are - ~3L2~8~

mixtures of methyl methacrylate and/or isobornyl methacrylate with 1 to 35~ by weight of the total monomer of a short chain cross linking agent such as neopentylene glycol diacrylate or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate or the reaction product of one mow of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

Another most preferred comonomer system for pro-paring hard lenses is vinyl acetate/dimethyl Malta (2/1 to 5/1 molar ratios) plus a preferred methacrylate monomer listed above.

For making soft lenses, the preferred comonomer is 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-decyl acrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, per-fluoroalkyl (C6-C10) substituted alkyd acrylate or moth-acrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl acrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl methacry-late, 2-methoxyethyl acrylate, 2-methoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-butoxyethyl acrylate, 2-butoxyethyl methacrylate, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl acrylate, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl moth-acrylate, or mixtures thereof.

The water-soluble, monomers I which are useful in the present invention are: acrylates and methacrylates of the general structure:

~Z38''3 I

H2C=C-COOR13 R~3 is a hydrocarbon residue of 1 to 10 carbon atoms substituted by one or more water solubilizing groups such as car boxy, hydrcxy or tert.-amino, or a polyethylene oxide group with from 2-100 repeating units, or a group which contains sulfate, phosphate, sulfonate or phosphonate groups.

Acrylamides and me.hacrylamides of structure wherein R14 is R13 or 25;

Acrylamides and methacrylamides of structure / I

H2C=f -Cowl isles Maltese and fumarates of structure:

Vinyl ethers of structure:

H2C=CH-OP~l3 N-vinyi-lactams, like N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, Included among the useful water soluble monomers are:

2-hydroxyethyl-; 2- and 3-hydroxypro?yl-, Dow-hydroxypropyl-; polyethoxyethyl-; and polyethoxy-propel- acrylates and methacrylates as well as the corresponding acrylamides and methacryl-asides. Sucrose-, muons-, glucose-, sorbitol-acrylates and methacrylates.

Acrylamide and methacrylamide; N-methylacrylamide and methacrylamide, ~isacetone-acrylamide;
2:hydroxyethyl acrylamide; dimethyl-acrylamide and methacrylamide; methylolacrylamide and moth-acrylamide.

1238~

N,~-dimethyl- and N,N-diethyl-aminoe~hyl acrylate and methacrylate as well as the corresponding acrylamides and methacrylamides~ tert.butyl-amino ethyl methacrylate and methacrylamide; 2-and ~-vinylpyridine; 4- and 2-methyl-5-vinyl-pardon; N-methyl-4-vinyl piperidine; l-vinyl-and 2-methy'-1-vinyl-imidazole; dimetr.ylallyl-amine and methyldiallylamine. Pane- and ortho-aminostyrene; dimethylaminoethyl vinyl ether; I-vinylpyrrolidone; 2-pyrrolidinoethyl moth-acrylate.

Acrylic and methacrylic acid;
Itaconic; cinnamic-, crotonic-, fumaric-, malefic acids and lower hydroxyalkyl moo- and divesters thereof, such as 2-hydroxyethyl- and Dow-hydroxy)ethyl fumarate,- Malta and itaconate, and 3-hydroxypropyl-butyl fumarate, and di-polyal~oxyalkyl-fu~arates, Maltese and itaconates.

Maleic-anhydride;
sodium acrylate and methacrylate, 2-methacryloyl-oxyethylsulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid, 2-phosphatoethyl moth-acrylate, vinylsulfonic acid, sodium vinyl-sulfonate, p-styrenesulfonic acid, sodium p-styrenesulfonate, and allylsulfonic acid.

Also included are the quaternized derivatives of cat ionic monomers: obtained by quaterniza~ion with selected alkylatin~ agents like hunted hydrocarbons such as methyl iodide, bouncily chloride or hexadecyl chloride; epoxies like glycidol, epichlorohydrin, ethylene oxide; acrylic acid, dim ethyl sulfate; methyl sulfate; propane sultan.

A more complete list of water soluble monomers useful in the context of this invention is container in:

R. H. Yocum, E. B. Nyquist, Functional Monomers;
Vol. 1, p. 424-440 (M. Decker, NAY. 1973).

Preferred monomers are:
(By) = methyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate; t-butyl and isobutyl methacrylate, isopropylmethacrylate, hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, 2-ethoxyethyl acrylate, styrenes (By) = 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate; N,N-dimethylacrylamide;
acrylic and methacryl.ic acid; ~-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone;

~;~3~3S

A wide range of divinely compounds can be used in addition to the monovinyl compounds. Indeed, from O to 50% by weight of the total monomer B can be a diolefinic monomer (By). Examples of diolefinic monomers are:

Ally acrylate and methacrylate, ethylene glycol-, diethylene glycol-, triethylene glycol-, te~raethylene glycol-, and generally polyethylene oxide glycol diacrylates and dip methacrylates; 1,4-butane dill and poly-n-butylene oxide glycol diacrylates and dime~hacrylates; propylene glycol an polyp propylene oxide glycol diacrylates and dimethacrylates; trio-diethylene glycol diacrylate and dimethacrylate; di(2-hydroxy-ethyl)sulfone diacrylate and dimethacrylate; neopentylene glycol diacrylate and dimethacrylate; trimethylol?ro2ane in and tetraacrylate; pentaerythritol in and tetraac~ylate;
divinylbenzene; divinely ether; divinely cellophane; disiloxanyl-bis-3-hydroxy propel diacrylate or methacrylate and related compounds.

Bushnell A diacrylate or dimethacrylate, ethoxylated bis2henol A diacrylate or dimethacrylate; ethylene bisacryl-aside or methacrylamide, dim ethylene bisacrylamide or moth-acrylamide; N,N'-dihydroxyethylene bisacrylamide or methacryl-aside; hexamethylene bisacrylamide or methacrylam-de;
decamethylene bisacrylamide or methacrylamide; ally- and ~X3~35 dialkyl Malta, triallyl mailmen, Delilah itaconate, Delilah phthalate, triallyl phosphate, polyallyl sucrose, sucrose diacrylate, glucose dimethacrylate; also, unswept-rated polyesters, such as poly-(alkylene glycol Maltese) and poly(alkylene-glycol fumarates), like polypropylene glycol Malta) and poly(polyalkyleneoxide glycol Malta).

Also useful as cross linking agents are the reaction products obtained by reacting 1 mow of dip or trusses-Nate of structure OCN-R4-(NCO)1 or 2 wherein R4 is as desk cried above with 2 or 3 moles of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate, or a hydroxyal~yl vinyl ether or ally alcohol, or ~-tert.-butylaminoethyl methacrylate, or bis-hydroxyethyl Malta or any of the active-hydrogen containing compounds listed among the water soluble comonomers. If an excess of the isocyanato functional (meth-)acrylate is used in capping the polysiloxane-poly-alkanol, the unrequited isocyanate can be used to react with a hydroxy- or amino functional monomers; thus the reaction products of isocyanatoethylmethacrylate with for example, hydroxyethyl methacrylate or t-butylaminoethyl methacryate are also preferred cross linking agents.

Preferably the diolefinic monomer (By) is the acrylate or methacrylate of ally alcohol, of a straight or branched chain alkaline glycol of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, of polyethylene oxide) glycol, of poly(n-butylene oxide) glycol, of poly(n-butylene oxide) glycol, of thiodiethylene glycol, of neopentylene glycol, of trimethylolpropane, or of pentaerthyritol; or the reaction product obtained by reacting one mow of a dip or tri-isocyanate of structure OCN-R4-(~CO)v, wherein R4 is defined as above and v is 1 or ~L23~35 2, with 2 or 3 moles of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate.

A most preferred difunctional comonomer (By) is O to 30% by weight of the total monomer of neopentylene glycol diacrylate, the reaction-product of 1 mow isophorone diisocyanate and 2 moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

The monomers can be used alone, or in combination with each other with the necessary attention given to their copolymerization parameters to make sure that random copolymerization takes place. In addition, if the polymers are to be used for contact lenses, a high degree of clarity and lack of color are essential for choosing an appropriate monomer combination.

A preferred embodiment of the instant invention is a polymer where component A is a polysiloxane of structure Al, A, A, A, A- A, Al is alkaline of 3 or 4 carbon atoms R2, Ray Rub, Arc, Rod, Rev Of, Rug, Rho Rip Rj and Ok are each methyl, Al + X2 is 10 to 100, Ye is O to 2, Ye is 1 to 3, Al is -O-, -S-, or -NH- and R4 is a diradical of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diisocyanate with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, Ye or Y is -R8-Z kooks R8 is ethylene, Z2 is -O- or -NC(CH3)3-, R3 is hydrogen or methyl and R6 is hydrogen.

:~23~3~35 The transparent, hard and oxygen permeable polymers of this invention are produced in a final synthesis step by free radical copolymerization, either in bulk or in the presence of small amounts of solvents. The polymerization is suitably carried out with a free radical generating initiator at a temperature in the range from about 40~C to about 105C, the preferred temperature ranges being between about 50C and about 100C. These initiators are prefer-ably peroxides or ago catalysts having a half-life at the polymerization temperature of at least 20 minutes. Typical useful proxy compounds include: isopropyl per carbonate, tert-butyl peroctoate, bouncily peroxide, laurel peroxide, decanoyl peroxide, acutely peroxide, succinic acid peroxide, methyl ethyl kitten peroxide, tert.-butyl peroxyacetate, propionyl peroxide, 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl peroxide, tert.-butyl peroxypivalate, pelargonyl peroxide, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(2-ethylhexanoylperoxy)hexane,, p-chlorobenzoyl peroxide, tert.-butyl peroxybutyrate, tert.-butyl peroxymaleic acid, tert.-butyl-peroxyisopropyl carbonate, bis(l-hydroxycyclohexyl)peroxide; ago compounds include: 2,2-azo-bis-isobutyronitrile; 2,2'-azo-bis-(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile~; l,l'-azo-bis (cyclohexane carbonitrile), 2,2'-azo-bis(2,4-dimethyl-4-methoxyvalero-nitrite).

Other free radical generating mechanisms can be employed, such as X-rays, electron-beams and UV-radiation.
Preparation of contact-lens blanks by US radiation in the presence of a photo-initiator such as diethoxyacetophenone, l-hydroxycyclohexyl phenylketone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-acetophenone, phenothiazine, diisopropylxanthrogendisul-Fidel Bunsen and Bunsen derivatives is a preferred method.

~3~3~

The amount of initiator can vary from 0.002~ to I by weight of the monomer and macromer, but is preferably from 0.03 to 0.3~ by weight thereof.

A preferred laboratory method of preparing the polymer, in the form of a cylinder, comprises the filling of flexible polymer tubing with the preferred composition of macromer, monomers, and catalyst and reacting the mixture for approximately 2 hours at 80C. The finished article is removed by slitting the tubing longitudinally and stripping it away from the polymer article.

Another preferred method for preparing the polymer is by irradiation with ultraviolet light in the presence of a photo-initiator and using plastic molds which are US

transparent, such as molds made of polypropylene or other UV-permeable plastics.
The reaction is preferably carried out in an inert atmosphere if done in open molds. It is Nina that oxygen inhibits polymerization and gives rise to extended polymerize-lion times. If closed molts are used to form the article, the molds are composed of inert materials having low oxygen permeability and non-stic~ properties. Examples of suitable molding materials are poly(tetrafluoroethylene), such as Teflon, silicone rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene and 1238~35 polyester, such Mylar. Glass and metallic molds may be used if a suitable mold-releasing agent is employed.

The instant invention also relates to a polymerizable composition comprising (A) from about 5 to about 75% by weight of components (A) and (By of a linear or branched polysiloxane macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to about 100,000, as measured by end group analysis or gel permeation chromatography, said macromer containing at least two terminal or pendant, polymerizable olefinic groups per each 5000 molecular weight unit of polysiloxane, said groups being attached to the polysiloxane through one urethane, thiourethane or urea linkage, said macromer having the structure Al, A, A, A, (described in detail above), and (B) 95 to 25% by weight ox one or more moo-, dip or trifunctional vinyl monomer polymerizable by free radical polymerization.

3~35 More particularly, the instant invention relates to a polymerizable composition comprising (A) from 15 to 60% by weight of a linear or branched polysiloxane macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to about 100,000, as measured by end group analysis or gel permeation chromatography, said macromer containing at least two terminal or pendant, polymerizable olefinic groups per each 5000 molecular weight unit of polysiloxane, said groups being attached to the polysiloxane through one urethane, thiourethane or urea linkage, said macromer having the structure Al, A, A or A, (described in detail above), and (B) about 85 to 40 by weight of said polymer of water-soluble and water-insoluble monomers or water-insoluble monomers, said monomers being monoolefinic, diolefinic or a mixture of monoolefinic and diolefinic monomers, with from 0 to 100% by weight of the total monomers being water-insoluble, with 100 to 0% by weight of the total monomers being water-soluble, and 50 to O%, espy-Shelley 30 to o% of the total monomers being replaced by a diolefinic monomer (By).

The compositions of this invention and the polymers therefrom can be tailored so as to be useful either as hard contact lens material or as soft contact lens material. Dip-fervent comonomers and different levels of polysiloxane macromer are required to get optimal performance in either contact lens type.

123~ 8-In choosing the polysiloxane component and the vinyl monomer for a hard contact yens composition, it is important to arrive at a mixture which will give clear polymers with sufficient dimensional stability and oxygen-permeability. Sometimes a mixture of comonomers is advantageous in avoiding phase-separation and thereby opacity. Also, it is easier to obtain clear products with polysiloxanes of relatively low molecular weight than with high molecular weight polysiloxanes. Polysiloxanes with a short chain length between cross links also give harder, more dimensionally stable polymers; however, their oxygen permeability is reduced compared to polysiloxanes with longer chain length and therefore lower cross link density.
By a judicious choice of monomer(s) and polysiloxane macromer, one is thus able to tailor to a considerable degree the physical properties and oxygen permeability of the instant silicone polymers from hard and rigid to rubbery and soft. In addition to hard and soft contact lenses, because of their good tissue compatibility and oxygen permeability and strength and elasticicity, the polymers of the present invention are also particularly suitable for use as intramuscular and subcutaneous implants in warm-blooded animals and as contact lens material. For the same reasons, the materials of the present invention may be fashioned into substituted blood vessels or extra corporeal shunts.

For preparing hard contact lenses, the preferred composition comprises (A) from 15 to 40% by of a polysilox-aye macromer, and (B) from 85 to 60% by weight of a mix-lure of water insoluble monomers (By), of water-soluble monomers ~æ~

(By) and of a ~iolefinic monomer (By), wherein, based on by weight of the total weight of monomers, By is from 60 to 95~, By is from 20 to 0%, and By is from 20 to 5%. The preferred water-insoluble monomers go are methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl metllacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate or mixtures thereof.
The preferred water-soluble monomers By are 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone or mixtures thereof. The preferred diolefinic monomer By is neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate or the reaction product of one mow of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

For preparing soft contact lenses with low water absorption, the preferred composition comprises (A) from 40 to 60~ by weight of a polysiloxane macromer, and (B) from 60 to 40~ by weight of a mixture of water-insoluble monomer (By), ox water-soluble monomer (By) and of a diolefinic moo-men By wherein based on by weight of the total weight of monomers, By is from 70 to 100~, By is from 25 to I and By is from 5 to I The preferred water-insoluble monomers (By) are ethyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-hexyl acrylate or methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-decyl acrylate or methacrylate; or mixtures thereon with methyl or isobornyl methacrylate. the ~;~38~35 preferred water-soluble monomers (By) and diolefinic monomers (By) are those listed above for preparing hard contact lenses.

For preparing hydrogen contact lenses, the preferred composition comprises (A) from 20 to 60~ by weight of a polyp selection macromer, and (B) from 80 to 40% by weight of a mixture of water-insoluble monomer (By), of water-soluble monomer (By) and of a diolefinic monomer (By), wherein based on % by weight of the total weight of monomers, By is from 80 to 0%, By is from 15 to 100%, and By is from 5 to 0%. The preferred water-soluble monomers (By) are N,N-dimethyl-acrylamide, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, acrylamide, or mixtures thereof. The preferred water-insoluble monomers (By) and diolefinic monomers (By) are those listed above for preparing hard or soft contact lenses.

An example of a preferred composition for making a hard contact lens comprises (A) 30~ by weight of the polysiloxane of structure A, Al and Z2 are each -0-, and Ye is 2, and 70% by weight of monomer (B) wherein, based on % by weight of total monomers, By is 71.4% of methyl methacrylate, By is 5.7% of 2-hydroxyethyl methacryalte and BY is 22.9% of neopentylene glycol diacrylate.

An example of a preferred composition for making a soft contact lens comprises (A) 50~ by weight of the polysilox-aye of structure Al where Al is 25-30, Al and Z2 are each ~83L~S

-O-, and y, is 0, and 50% by wright of monomers (B) wherein By is 80% of a 50/50 mixture of methyl methacrylate/2-ethylhexyl acrylate and By is 20~ of I -dimethylacr aside.

An example of a preferred composition for making a hydrogen type contact lens comprises (A) 30~ by weight of the polysiloxane of structure A where, Al and Z2 are each -O-, and Ye is 2, and 70% by weight of monomers (B) wherein By is 20% of methyl methacrylate and By is 50% of N,N-dimethylacrylamide.

The invention relates also to a polymer, comprising the copolymerization product of the compositions of combo-newts (A) and (B). The preferred embodiments of the combo-sessions read also on the polymers.

Although this invention is directed primarily toward the manufacture of contact lenses, it is within the scope of this invention to use any of the aforementioned monomers to make strong, o2-permeable polymers with a wide range of physical properties, from hard and rigid to rubbery and soft and which are useful, for instance, as bandages, body implants or catheters.

The polysiloxane-copolymers of this invention may also be treated by any of the commonly used methods used to increase the nettability of hydrophobic surfaces, such as plasma-treatment and irradiation-grafting and oxidation.

The contact lenses made from the polymers of this invention are filler less, hydrolytic ally stable, biologically inert, transparent and sufficiently permeable to oxygen to allow the transport of oxygen sufficient to meet the requirements of the human cornea.

~;23~ 5 The following examples are presented for the purpose of illustration only.

In the following examples, specific oxygen permeability (2 DO) is determined by measuring dissolved oxygen permeability at 35C with a polarographic electrode in an air-saturated aqueous environment and is expressed in units cm3(STP)x cm 02DK = - -- x 7,6923076xlO
cm2xsecxm~ar Nettability is determined by measuring the contact angle of an n-octane droplet which had risen to the lower surface of a 1 mm thick sample sheet immersed in octane saturated distilled water at 36C. In this measurement high numbers signify high nettability.

As reference materials for 02-DK measurements, water swollen poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (palm; 39%
water content; the most common soft-lens material) and CAB, cellulose-acetate-butyrate (an oxygen-permeable hard-lens material) are used; for nettability and hardness palm and poly(methyl methacrylate) are used as reference materials. The 02.DK, Shore-D and contact angle values for these materials are given below.

- ~3~35 Hardness is determined using a Shore-D dormitory on polished surfaces of center cut buttons of 10 mm diameter and 8 mm height.

Reference Materials OK Shore-D Octane/Water Contact Angle palm (39% Lowe) 12 - 151 poly(methyl methacrylate) <0.1 92 92 cellulose-acetate-butyrate 8.2 80 161 Glossary of Abbreviations P-D-M-S- polydimethylsiloxane ITEM - 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate DBTL - dibutyltin dilaurate HEM - 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate IPDI - isophorone diisocyanate NPDA - neopentylene glycol diacrylate ~23~

The following two examples show that a superior polydimethylsiloxane-trimethacrylate with the same narrow MW-distribution as the starting polysiloxane trio material is obtained in a l-step reaction in Example 1 compared to a multi-disperse MY of a-p~ior-art PDMS-methacrylate obtained in a 2-step reaction as seen in Example 2.

Example 1 Synthesis of PDMS-trimethacrylate from a PDMS-triol and ITEM.

A 3-neck flask equipped with stirrer, thermometer, condenser and nitrogen inlet tube is charged with 91.5 g (0.015 m) of a tri-hydroxyalkyl functional polydimethyl-selection (DOW CORNING fluid '1248', MY 6100) which had been stripped free of volatile by passing it twice through a wiped-film evaporator at 120C/0-013 mar. The flask is sparred with nitrogen and 7.68 g (0.0495 m) of 2-isocyana-toothily methacrylate (IE~1) are added, followed by 0.028 g (0.028% of total) dibutyltin dilaurate (DRTL) as catalyst.
The mixture is stirred at 25C and the disappearance of the NO group is followed by infrared (IT) spectroscopy. After four hours only a minor amount of NO remained and this excess isocyanate is removed by reaction to completion by adding 0.62 g (0.0047 m) 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEM). The resulting product is a clear, colorless vise cows resin. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) shows a narrow, one pea molecular weight (MY) distribution identi-eel to the starting PDMS-triol, and a low MY fraction con-sitting of the HEMA-IEM adduce.

~3~3~35 Schematic structure:

(P - D S) IT EYE I'M

Example 2 (Comparison) Synthesis of PD~lA-trimethylacrylate from a PDMS-trio, isophorone diisocyanate and HEM.

Following the procedure of Example 1, 91.5 9 (0.015 m) of the same PDMS-triol ('124~', DOW COPYING are stirred under nitrogen with 10.5 g (0.0473 m) l-(isocyanatomethyl-5-isocyanato-1,3,3-trimethylcyclohexane (isophorone dyes-Senate, IPDI) and 0.0125 g DBTL as catalyst. The mixture is stirred at 25C for 4 hours, after which time the NO
content has dropped to 1.98% I would be the theoretical end point). At that time 11 9 EYE are added and the mixture is stirred under nitrogen at 25C until all rlco has reacted, as determined by IR-spectroscopy. The resulting product is a clear, colorless viscous resin, whose GPC-scan, in contrast to the resin of Example 1, shows four peaks with four distinct M~7's as a result of chain-exten-soon, as well as a low molecular weight fraction consisting of IPDI-HEMA deduct.

.
.

~38~;~5 Example 3 Synthesis of PDMS-dimethacrylate from a PDMA-triol and ITEM.

Following the procedure of Example l, a PDMS-dimethacrylate is prepared by using 123 g (0.02 m) of the '1248'-PDt1S-triol and 6.206 g (0.04 m) ITEM. A clear, viscous resin is obtained with the same MY distribution as the starting material PD~IS. me product of Example 3 still contains l/3 of the original hydroxy groups.

Schematic structure:

(P D M c) . . I
I EM OH I it 1~3~3~35 Example 4 Synthesis of PD~1A-dimethacrylate from a partially capped PDMS-triol and ITEM.

Following the procedure of Example 1, 100 g (0.0143 m) of tri-hydroxyalkyl functional poly-dimethyl-selection (DOW COWERING fluid '1248'; OW 6986) are reacted with 1.42 g (0.0143 m) of n-butylisocyanate using 0.02596 dibutyltin dilaurante as catalyst at 25C for 4 hours. The resulting product is a PDMS with, on the average, 2 hod roxyl groups per molecule.

3.33 g ~0.0048 m) of this PDMS-diol described above are reacted with 1.55 g (0.0101 m) of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate to cap the remaining hydroxy-groups. The disappearance of isocyanate functionality is followed by infrared spectroscopy.

A clear, viscous resin is obtained with a molecular weight distribution identical to the resins of Examples 1 and 3 and of the starling material PDMS.

Schematic structure:

(p M S) ITEM Bottle Iota Example 5 Synthesis of chain-extended polysiloxane-polymeth-acrylates from partially blocked PDMS-triols.

Following the procedure of Example 1, 123 g (0.02 m, MY = 6150) tri-hydroxy alkyl-polydimethylsiloxane (DOW
CORNING Fluid '1248') are reacted with 3.103 g (0.02 m) 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate.

24.8 g (0.004 m) of this minim substituted PDMS
are reacted with 0.467 g (0.002 m + 5% excess) isophorone diisocyanate; the disappearance of the NCO-functionality is followed by IR-spectroscopy. The remaining hydroxy groups are then reacted with 0.62 g (0.004 m) ITEM. The resulting clear, viscous resin has a much higher MY than the resin of Example 1, as determined by gel permeation chromatography.

Schematic structure:

(P D It IPDI ) ITEM IT IT IT

~23~3~3~

The following examples were carried out in order Jo create a higher OW Pals methacrylate for synthesis of a less cross linked and softer contact lens material.

Examples 6-14 (Comparison) Attempts to control chain-extension of PDMS-triol by reaction with different amounts of diisocyanate.

Following the procedure of Example 2, the PDMS-triol '1248' and isophorone-diisocyanate ~IPDI) are reacted in the following amounts and ratios.

En. PD~S-triol '1248'/IPDI
9/9 mol/mol e~v./eqv. Product 6 61 11.1 1 OHS 3/1.0 all 7 61 16.6 1 0.75 2/1.0 materials 8 61 19.4 1 0.&75 1.7/1.0 cross-9 30.5 11.1 1 1.00 1.5/1.0 linked 30.5 14.7 1 1.33 1.13/1.0 11 30.5 16.7 1 1.5 1.0/1.0 12 30.5 :22.2 1 2 1.33/1 13 30.5 27.8 1 2.5 2/1 14 30.5 33.3 1 3.0 2.5/1.0 clear very viscous resin ~23~35 Only Example 14 results in a PDMS-isocyanate intermediate which can be used for further synthesis of methacrylate capped PDMS by reaction with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.
The methacrylate capped PDMS-macromer is extremely viscous, and when analyzed by GPC, is seen to consist of at least 4 different klW-fractions, compared to the uniform MY
distribution of the macromer of Example 1.

:~238~L35 Example 15 Synthesis of PD~lS-dimethacrylates from PDMS-diols and ITEM.

21.94 g (0.005 m) ox a poly-dimethylsiloxane-di-alkanol (Shunts ZOO; My = 4388) are reacted with 0.555 g (0.0025 m) of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) at 25C for 6 hours using 0.009 g dibutyltin dilaurate as catalyst. The residual hydroxy-groups are capped in a second step by reaction with 0.776 g (0.005 m) of issue-cyanatoethyl methacrylate for 5 hours. The modified polyp selection macromer so obtained with terminal methacr~late groups is a clear and viscous resin of approximately 9000 MY.

Schematic structure:

IEM--(PDMS)--IPDI-(PDMS)-IEM

Example 16 Using the same procedure as in Example 15, a more chain-extended PDMS-dimethacrylate is prepared from 21.94 g (0.005 m) PDMS-diol (Shin Eights ZOO), 0.860 g (0.00375 m) IPDI and 0.387 g (0.0025 m) ITEM. The resulting resin is colorless and very viscous with a MY of about 18500.
-Schematic structure:

ITEM I (PDMS)--IPDI3(PD~S)_IEM

3L2:3B135 Example 17 Using the same procedure as in Example 15, a poly-dimethylsiloxane dimethacrylate is prepared by reacting 12.19 g (0.005 m) of a PD~lS-dialkanol (Shunts ZOO 1000, MY = 2438) with 1.552 g (0.01 m) 2-isocyranatoethyl methacrylate in presence of 0.01 g dibutyltin dilaurate. A clear, slightly viscous resin is obtained with a MY of 2749.

Schematic structure:

ITEM - (PDMS) - ITEM

Example 18 Using the same procedure as in Example 15, a ~oly-dimethylsiloxane dimethacrylate is prepared by reacting 24.59 g (0.005 m) of a PDHS-dialkanol (Shunts ZOO 2000, MY = 4918) with 1.552 g (0.01 m) 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate in presence of 0.01 g dibutyltin dilaurate. A clear, slightly viscous resin is obtained with a MY of 5228.

Schematic structure:

ITEM - (PDMS) - ITEM

123~35 Example 19 Synthesis of PDMS-dimethacrylate from PDMS-diamine and ITEM.
21.9 g (0.01 m) of a bis-3-aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (MY 2190, Tetrarch Systems, Inc.
PS-510) are reacted with 3.1 g (0.02 m I excess) of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate dissolved in 6 g of water-free deathly ether. The temperature of the mixture is kept at 25C and stirring continued for 3 hours. The disappearance of OC~I-groups is followed by IR-spectroscopy. The solvent is evaporated at 50C/0.02 Torn using a rotovaporator. A clear, viscous resin is obtained with a MY of about 2500.
Schematic structure:
ITEM ~PDMS IAMB
Example 20 Following the same procedure as in Example 15, a chain extended puller PDMS is prepared from 21.9 g (0.01 m) bis-3-aminopropyl terminated PDMS by first reacting it with 1.48 g (0.0067 m) IPDI in 10 ml deathly ether and than capping the residual groups with 1.08 g (0.0067 m + I
excess) ITEM. A clear viscous resin is obtained, with a MY
of about 8000.
Schematic structure:
` ITEM_ _(PDMS)-IPDI_ .2-(PDMS)-IEM

~238135 Example 21 Synthesis of PDMS-dimethacrylate from PDMS-dithiols and ITEM.

27.3 g (Oily m) of a polydimethyl selection dialkyl-enethiol (DOW CORNING Fluid x 2-8024, MY 2730) are reacted with Al g (0~022 m) of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate at 25C for 4 hours using 0.066% triethylamine as catalyst.
The excess isocyanate is capped with tert.-butylaminoethyl methacrylate (0.002 m). The disappearance of the isocyanate functionality is followed by infrared spectroscopy. A clear, viscous resin is obtained, which consists of a PDMS-dimethacrylate ox a MY of about 3100 and a minor amount of the reaction product of ITEM with t-butylaminoethyl methacrylate.

Schematic structure:

ITEM ~PDMS~-IE.M

~38~35 Examples 22-27 Synthesis of materials suitable for hard contact lenses.

30 g of the tri-methacrylate-PDMS synthesized in Example l is mixed with 4 g HOWE, 16 g neopentyleneglycol diacrylate t~lPDA) and 50 g methyl methacrylate. 0.2 g l-hydroxycyclohexyl phenol kitten, photo initiator A are added and the mixture stirred until clear. After thrice degas-in in vacua and blanketing with nitrogen, the mixture is polymerized by UV-irradiation in form of contact-lens blanks (round buttons, 13 mm diameter, 9 mm high), within a polypropylene mold for hardness measurements and machinabi-lily studies and in form of 0.1 mm thick films between Mylar lined glass plates for measuring oxygen permeability.

Using the same procedure, monomer mixtures with the compositions listed below are prepared and polymerized;
clear and hard polymers are obtained with the following physical properties. All polymers can be cut and polished into hard to semi-hard contact lenses with excellent oxygen permeability.

~3~3~35 Shore Coup. D
En From PDMS-IEM Adduce Comonomer2) % Hard- O2.DK
No Example Lo) MY MA IBM NPDA MA HEM news 34C

4 2 6500 3050 - 16 - 4 63 35 ) L = Theoretical functionality 2) MtlA: methyl methacrylate IBM: isobornyl methacrylate NPDA: neopentyl glycol diacrylate MA: glycidyl methacrylate HEM: 2-hydro~yethyl methacrylate 1238~35 Examples 28-34 Synthesis of materials suitable for soft, hydrophobic (silicone-rubber type) contact lenses.

Using the same procedure as in Example 22, PDMS-methacrylate macromers are mixed with comonomers and Photo initiator A and polymerized as described. The composition and the physical properties of the materials are shown in the following table.

Jo 3.238~35 ~.~ Jo CO o , O I N
_ Coo ~00~0 C~J ED
O Us Ox c~Q I 0 Us _ Us I I 1 IT G- In I Cal CJ) Jo _ H a . C Us I E C Al-) I 1` I us Lo no o m I _ D D O I QJ O O
I X to r~7 If a O O
.. _ ._ 1 S So I O
G 3 O _ 0 I I I_ O
C L 'D Us us) O S
-, ....
I ox O owe I- I= Jo XJ Jo to I I o E o o C O C O o 'I O a JO
O I C I: C ~-~ O ED S I
o C I C Jo s .,~ O
L. a _ _ .... _ O 0 I
c c c o c c o -'S C I
to us -1 h . . . S
, EYE
_ _ .. 0 h JO
a 0 o o o ox 3 o o o N I, I, h h E Us I:
I- _ O _ o N to no U O ~1 _ . I h J
S I h - -I: us c~J X JO V
o .
--- --- x I c Go . So US JO 0' to t) at O E
E O a) 3 a) _ , pa us I Us O
_ _ I
I 3 C)~C~ V
_ _ . . h 11 O S O
z coy a o Jo a O
I_ _. I I
I

3~3~3S

Examples 35-36 Synthesis of polymers suitable for soft contact lenses from pDrls-methacrylates derived from pDr1s-diamines~

Following the general procedure of Example 22, 60 g PDMS-methacrylates from Examples 15 and 16 are mixed respectively with 40 g 2-ethylhexYl acrvlate. 0.2%
Photo initiator A and polymerized by UV-light to give buttons, sheets and films of high optical clarity.

The following table contains the physical properties of the copolymers prepared. The improved properties show the usefulness of those types of functional selections for the synthesis of water free, soft contact lens materials, comparing favorably with water-swollen poly-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.
Exhume Example Poly-HE~Al) 36 Control Polymer Shore-A hardness 53 foe 31 Tensile Strength N/mm,22 0-391 0.653 0.224 Young' modulus N/mm 2.26 Oily 503 Elongation to wreak, ~22.6 lSl I
Bending annul) 30 60 66 02DK 38. 2 42.2 24.7 l) The used puller was copolymer of 93.45% 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 0.25% ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate and 0.3~ methacrylic acid, tested in the swollen state (38.5~ water).

123~3~35 2) The bending angle is a measure of the 'softness' of the polymer. It was obtained by cutting a 2 1/2 x 1/2 inch (6.35 x 1.27 cm) sample of a 1 mm thick sheet, clamping 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) ox its length horizontally between two glass plates and measuring the angle with the horizontal formed my the line from end of the support to the end of the overhanging sample.
The following examples show the usefulness of the novel PDMS-methacrylate for the synthesis of silicone containing hydrogels.
Examples 37-40 30 g ox the PDMS-macromer of Example 1 are mixed with methyl methacrylate (MA) and dimethylacrylamide (DAM) in proportions as shown in the table. To each solution 0.2 g IRGACURE-184 is added and the mixture is degassed in vacua and kept under nitrogen. Each mixture is cast and polymerized by US in form of 1 mm thick sheets. I mm thick sheets, 0.11 thick films and round buttons ox 13 mm diameter and 9 mm height, as described in Example 22. All samples are completely clear. For each material, dry hardness, equilibrium water content, tensile strength (wet state) and o2-permeability (wet state) are determined, as shown in the table.

Ex.Composition Hardness S Lowe Tensile Elongation 02~D~
Shore -D trying PDMS-IEM MA Ala Dry (N/ml~2 ) 3730 20 50 82 51.8 1.451 63 64.4 3830 30 40 79 37 9.347 49 56.5 3930 40 30 78 22 23.984 49 40.3 50 20 80 11 29.61 28 39.3 ~238~35 Examples 41-42 Comparison of ITEM and IPDI/HE~A- Capped Macromers The instant polysiloxane macromers contain the group X
which is -Zl-co-~ whereas in the polysiloxane macromers of U.S. Patent Nos. 4,136,250; 4,130,708 and 4,486,577~X is the linking group -z -CO-NH-R -NHCO-To demonstrate that the absence of the -R4-~1HCO-portion of the group X in the instant macromers does make a difference, an instant polysiloxane macromer is prepared wherein a polysiloxane dill of equivalent weight 1219 (molecular weight 2438) is capped with two equivalents of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (ITEM) according to the instant invention following the general procedure of Examples 1 and 17.

The closest prior art polysiloxane macromer is prepared wherein the same polysiloxane dill is capped first with two equivalents of isophorone diisocyanate ( IPDI ) followed by reaction with two equivalents of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEM) following the general procedure of Example 2.

Each polysiloxane macromer is copolymerized according to the general procedure of Examples 22-27 to prepare polymers for use in hard contact lenses.

~23~3135 he polymers are prepared from the following monomers (all percents are in by weight of the final polymer):

polysiloxane macromer 25 methyl methacrylate 55 neopentylene glycol acrylate 16 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate 4 The physical properties of the polymers made are given in the table below.

Table prison of IT and IPDI~HEM~-Capped Macromers Macromer and Polymer According Capping Selling % % So in Seward 02.DK
to Exile_* Method Appear. ~2 / Elk. Macromer Polymer Hardness 41 ITEM clear 2.42/28.07 33.5 8.38 79 8.1 42 IPDI/ n 2.60/21.45 29.3 7.33 81 5.7 * The polysiloxane macromer in Example 41 is prepared according to the instant invention.
The polysiloxane macromer in Example 42 is prepared according to the prior art.

m e instant polysiloxane macromer at the same polymer composition provides a higher silicon content in the final polymer along with perceptibly higher oxygen permeability so important in the field of contact lenses.

1;~3~3 35 Example 43 Macromer Properties The dispersity, average molecular weight, number of peaks observed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and viscosity of polysiloxane macromers prepared according to Examples 1 and 2 are compared to show that there are major differences in these properties depending on whether the polysiloxane macromer is made according to the instant invention (as in Example 1) or according to the prior art (as in Example 2).
Polysiloxane Macromer Average according Molecular GPC
to Example Dispersitx* Weight peaks Viscosity 1 6 1.4 x 104 1 low 2 29 8.9 x 104 4 high starting 2.2 1.4 x 104 1 low selection trio ('1248') * Dispersity is ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight. A broader molecular weight distribution correlates with a higher dispersity value.

~38~5 The instant polysiloxane macromer has a narrow molecular weight distribution, gives only one peak in the GPC
and is of low viscosity. The prior art polysiloxane macromer has a much broader molecular weight distribution, a number of peaks in the GPC and is of high viscosity.

The instant polysiloxane macromer represents a more reproducible product of more closely defined structure with all the concomitant benefits accruing to such products when the narrow product specifications and product reproducibility are paramount.

Claims (38)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A linear or branched polysiloxane macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to 100,000, as measured by end group analysis or gel permeation chromatography, said macromer containing at least one terminal or pendant, polymerizable olefinic group, and at least one such polymerizable olefinic group per each 5000 molecular weight unit of polysiloxane, said group being attached to the polysiloxane through one urethane, thiourethane or urea linkage, said macromer having the structure A1, A2, A3 or A4 (A1) (A2) Y1-(T - R4)n-T-Y1 , (A3) or Y1-(T1 - R4)n-T1-Y1 , (A4) wherein:
R1 is a linear or branched alkylene group with 2-6 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene group of structure G or G1 (G) -[CH2CH2CH2CH2O]pCH2CH2CH2CH2- (G1) wherein R3 is hydrogen or methyl and p is an integer from 1-50, R2, Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh, Ri, Rj and Rk are independently methyl or phenyl, x1, x2 are integers from 1 to 500 with the proviso that the sum of x1 + x2 is 7 to 1300, Y1 is 0 to 14 and y2 is 1 to 13 with the proviso that the ratio of or is not greater than 70, X is Z1 is oxygen, sulfur or-MR5-,wherein R5 is hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl, Z1 is connected to R1;
Y1 is or -R7-O-CH=CH2 wherein:
R6 is: hydrogen, methyl, -COOR5 or -COOR7OH, Z2 = oxygen or -NR5-Y is the same as Y1, or Y is H, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, cyclohexyl, phenyl, o-tolyl, m-tolyl or p-tolyl, with the proviso that at least one of Y must have the same meaning as Y1, R7 is a linear or branched alkylene of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, phenylene or phenylalkylene with 2 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkylene, or polyoxyalkylene of structure G or G1;

R8 is an alkylene group of from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, R4 is a diradical obtained by removing the NCO-groups from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate;

T is the group T1 is the group n is 1 to 10.

2. A polysiloxane macromer according to claim 1, wherein R1 is alkylene of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, R2, Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh, Ri, Rj and Rk are each methyl, x1 + x2 is 10 to 100, Y1 is 0 to 2, Y2 is 1 to 3, Z1 is -O- or -NH- and R4 is a diradical of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diisocyanate with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and Y is the same as Y1, R6 is hydrogen, R8 is ethylene, and Z2 is -O- or -NC(CH3)3-.

3. A polysiloxane macromer according to claim 2,wherein the polysiloxane is of structure A2, Z1 and Z2 are each -O-, and Y2 is 1 or 2.

4. A polysiloxane macromer according to claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane is of structure A3 or A4, where R4 is the diradical derived from isophorone diisocyanate.

5. A polymerizable composition, comprising (A) from 5 to 75% by weight, related to components (A) and (B), of a linear or branched polysiloxane macromer having a molecular weight from about 400 to about 100,000, as measured by end group analyses or gel permeation chromato-graphy, said macromer containing at least one, preferably at least two terminal or pendant, polymerizable olefinic groups, and at least one such polymerizable olefinic group per each 5000 molecular weight unit of polysiloxane, said groups being attached to the polysiloxane through one urethane, thiourethane or urea linkage, said macromer having the structure A1, A2, A3 or A4, (A1) (A2) Y1-(T - R4)n-T-Y1 (A3) or Y1-(T1 - R4)n-T1 -Y1 (A4) wherein:
R1 is a linear or branched alkylene group with 2-6 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene group of structure G or G1 (G) -[CH2CH2CH2CH2O]pCH2CH2CH2CH2- (G1) wherein R3 is hydrogen or methyl and p is an integer from 1-50, R2, Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh, Ri, Rj and Rk are independently methyl or phenyl, x1, x2 are integers from 1 to 500 with the proviso that the sum of x1 + x2 is 7 to 1300, y1 is 0 to 14 and y2 is 1 to 13 with the proviso that the ratio of or is not greater than 70, X is Z1 is oxygen, sulfur or NR5, wherein R5 is hydrogen or C1-C4 -alkyl, Z1 is connected to R1;
Y1 is or -R7-O-CH=CH2 wherein R6 is: hydrogen, methyl, -COOR5 or -COOR7OH, Z2 = oxygen or -NR5-Y is the same as Y1, or Y is H, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, cyclohexyl, phenyl, o-tolyl, m-tolyl or p-tolyl, with the proviso that at least one of Y must have the same meaning as Y1, R7 is a linear or branched alkylene of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, phenylene or phenylalkylene with 2 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkylene, or polyoxyalkylene of structure G or G1;
R8 is an alkylene group of from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, R4 is a diradical obtained by removing the NCO-groups from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic diisocyanate;

T is the group T1 is the group n is 1 to 10, and (B) 95 to 25% by weight of one or more mono-, di- or trifunctional vinyl monomer polymerizable by free radical polymerization.

6. A composition according to claim 5, comprising (A) from 15 to 60% by weight of said linear or branched polysiloxane macromer, and (B) 85 to 40% by weight of a mixture of water-soluble and water-insoluble monomers or water-insoluble monomers, said monomers being monoolefinic, diolefinic or a mixture of monoolefinic and diolefinic monomers, with from 0 to 100% by weight of the total monomers being water-insoluble (B1), with 100 to 0% by weight of total monomers being water-soluble (B2), and 50 to 0% by weight of the total monomers being replaced by a diolefinic monomer (Bx).

7. A composition according to claim 5, wherein R1 is alkylene of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, R2, Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh, Ri, Rj and Rk are each methyl, x1 + x2 is 10 to 100, Y1 is 0 to 2, Y2 is 1 to 3, Z1 is -O- or -NH- and R4 is a diradical of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diisocyanate with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and Y is the same as Y1, R6 is hydrogen, R8 is ethylene, and Z2 is -O- or -NC(CH3)3-.

8. A composition according to claim 7, wherein the polysiloxane is of structure A2, Z1 and Z2 are each -O-, and Y2 is 1 or 2.

9. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the polysiloxane is of structure A3, or A4, where R4 is the diradical derived from isophorone diisocyanate.

10. A composition according to claim 6, wherein monomer B is a water insoluble monomer B1 which is an acry-late or methacrylate of formula CH2=CR3COOR12, an acryl-amide or methacrylamide of formula CH2=CR3CONHR12, a maleate or fumarate of formula R12OCOCH=CHCOOR12, an itaconate of formula R12OCOC(=CH2)CH2COOR12, a vinyl ester of formula R12COOCH=CH2, a vinyl ether of formula CH2=CHOR12, or a mixture of said monomers, wherein R3 is hydrogen or methyl, and R12 is a linear or branched aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic alkyl group with from 1 to 21 carbon atoms and which may contain ether or thioether linkages or a -CO-, -SO- or -SO2- group; or is a heterocyclic alkyl group con-taining oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms, or a polypropylene oxide or poly-n-butylene oxide group with from 2 to 50 repeating alkoxy units; or is a perfluorinated alkyl group with from 1-12 carbon atoms; or is an alkyl containing siloxane group with from one to six Si atoms.

11. A composition according to claim 10, wherein the water insoluble monomer B1 is selected from the group con-sisting of methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof.

12. A composition according to claim 11, wherein the water insoluble monomer B1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof.

13. A composition according to claim 6, wherein component (B) contains 1 to 30%, based on the total weight of monomer, of a diolefinic monomer (Bx).

14. A composition according to claim 6, wherein diolefinic monomer (Bx) of component B is the acrylate or methacrylate of allyl alcohol, of a straight or branched chain alkylene glycol of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, of poly(ethylene oxide)glycol, of poly(propylene oxide)glycol, of poly(n-butylene oxide)glycol, of thiodiethylene glycol, of neopentylene glycol, of trimethy-lolpropane, or of pentaerthyritol; or the reaction product obtained by reacting one mol of a di- or tri-isocyanate of structure OCN-R4-(NCO)v, where R4 is the radical derived by removing NCO groups from said isocyanate and v is l or 2, with 2 or 3 moles of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate.

15. A composition according to claim 6, wherein component B
is a mixture of methyl methacrylate and 1 to 25% by weight of the total monomer of neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate or the reaction product of one mol of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

16. A composition according to claim 10, wherein the water insoluble monomer B1 is a mixture of vinyl acetate and dimethyl maleate in a 2/l to 5/l mol ratio plus methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate or hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate or mixtures thereof.

17. A composition according to claim 10, wherein the water insoluble monomer B1 is selected from the group consisting of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-decyl acrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, perfluoroalkyl (C6-C10) substituted alkyl acrylate or methacrylate; and mixtures thereof.

18. A composition according to claim 6, wherein in monomer B
the water soluble monomer B2 is an acrylate or methacrylate of formula CH2=CR3COORl3, an acrylamide or methacrylamide of formula CH2=CR3CONHR14 or CH2=CR3CON(R5)2, a maleate or fumarate of formula R13OCOH=CHCOOR13, a vinyl ether of formula CH2=CHOR13, an N-vinyl lactam; or a mixture of said monomers, wherein R3 is hydrogen or methyl, R5 is hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl, R13 is a hydrocarbon residue of 1 to 10 carbon atoms substituted by one or more water solubilizing groups such as carboxy, hydroxy or tert.-amino, or a polyethylene oxide group with from 2-100 repeating units, or a group which contains sulfate, phosphate, sulfonate or phosphonate groups, and R14 is defined as R13 or as R5.

19. A composition according to claim 18, wherein the water soluble monomer B2 is selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.

20. A composition according to claim 6, wherein component A
is a polysiloxane structure wherein R1 is alkylene of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, R2, Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh, Ri, Rj and Rk are each methyl, x1 + X2 is 10 to 100, Y1 is 0 to 2, Y2 is 1 to 3, Z1 is -O- or -NH- and R4 is a diradical of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diisocyanate with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and Y is the same as Y1, R6 is hydrogen, R8 is ethylene, and Z2 is -O- or -NC(CH3)3-, and component B
contains from 0 to 30% based on total monomer of a diolefinic monomer (Bx) which is the acrylate or methacrylate of allyl alcohol, of a straight or branched chain alkylene glycol of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, of poly(ethylene oxide)glycol, of poly(propylene oxide)glycol, of poly(n-butylene oxide) glycol, of thiodiethylene glycol, of neopentylene glycol, of trimethylolpropane, or of pentaerthyritol; or the reaction product obtained by reacting one mol of a di- or tri-isocyanate of structure OCN-R4-(NCO)v, wherein R4 is the radical derived by removing NCO groups from said isocyanate and v is 1 or 2, with 2 or 3 moles of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate.

21. A composition according to claim 20, wherein Bx is neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate or the reaction product of one mol of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

22. A composition according to claim 20, wherein component B contains the water insoluble monomer B1 selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, isopropyl meth-acrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof.

23. A composition according to claim 22, wherein component B contains the water insoluble monomer B1 selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, isopropyl meth-acrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof.

24. A composition according to claim 21, wherein component B contains as the water insoluble monomer B1 methyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate or mixtures thereof.

25. A composition according to claim 20, wherein component B contains the water insoluble monomer B1 which is a mixture of vinyl acetate and dimethyl maleate in a 2/l to 5/l mol ratio plus methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate or hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof.

26. A composition according to claim 20, wherein component B contains the water insoluble monomer B1 selected from the group consisting of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-decyl arylate, n-decyl methacrylate, perfluoroalkyl (C6-C10) substituted alkyl acrylate or methacrylate; and mixtures thereof.

27. A composition according to claim 20, wherein component B contains the water soluble monomer B2 selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.

28. A composition according to claim 20, which comprises (A) from 15 to 40% by weight of a polysiloxane of structure A2, Z1 and Z2 are each -O-, and Y2 is 1 or 2, and (B) from 85 to 60% by weight of a mixture of a water-insoluble monomer (B1), of a water-soluble monomer (B2), and of a diolefinic monomer Bx), wherein, based on percent by weight of the total weight of monomers, B1 is from 60 to 95% of a water-insoluble monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof, B2 is from 20 to 0% of a water-soluble monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and mixtures thereof, and Bx is from 20 to 5% of a diolefinic monomer selected from the group consisting of neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and the reaction product of one mol of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

29. A composition according to claim 20, which comprises (A) from 40 to 60% by weight of a polysiloxane of structure A2, Z1 and Z2 are each -O-, and Y2 is 1 or 2, and (B) from 60 to 40% by weight of a mixture of a water-insoluble monomer (B1), of a water-soluble monomer (B2), and of a diolefinic monomer (Bx), wherein, based on percent by weight of the total weight of monomers, B1 is from 70 to 100% of a water-insoluble monomer selected from the group consisting of ethyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-hexyl acrylate or methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate or methacrylate, n-decyl acrylate or methacrylate and mixtures thereof and with mixtures thereof with methyl or isobornyl methacrylate, B2 is from 25 to 0% of a water-soluble monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and mixtures thereof, and Bx is from 5 to 0% of a diolefinic monomer selected from the group consisting of neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and the reaction product of one mol of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

30. A composition according to claim 20, which comprises (A) from 20 to 60% by weight of a polysiloxane of structure A2, Z1 and Z2 are each -O-, and Y2 is 1 or 2, and (B) from 80 to 40% by weight of a mixture of a water-insoluble monomer (B1), of a water-soluble monomer (B2), and of a diolefinic monomer (Bx), wherein, based on percent by weight of the total weight of monomers, B1 is from 0 to 80% of a water-insoluble monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate, perfluoroalkyl (C6-C10) acrylate or methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof, B2 is from 100 to 15% of a water-soluble monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone acrylamide and mixtures thereof, and Bx is from 0 to 5% of a diolefinic monomer selected from the group consisting of neopentylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and the reaction product of one mol of isophorone diisocyanate and two moles of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate.

31. A hard contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 5.

32. A hard contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 28.

33. A soft contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 5.

34. A soft contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 29.

35. A soft hydrogel contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 5.

36. A soft hydrogel contact lens prepared from the polymer of the composition according to claim 30.

37. A polymer comprising the copolymerization product of the composition according to claim 5.

38. A process for the production of a polymer from the composition according to claim 5, comprising the reaction of components (A) and (B) under the action of heat or irra-diation.