Eliminating polymers useful in diffusion control layers

Claim 1

A polymer comprising recurring units of the formula ##STR24## wherein R is hydrogen or lower alkyl; R 1 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; R 2 and R 3 can each independently be hydrogen, lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or R 2 and R 3 together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded can constitute a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, or R 3 , when substituted on the methylene carbon atom next adjacent the nitrogen atom, can be taken together with R 1 to form part of a substituted or unsubstituted N-containing ring; A, D, and E are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, and phenyl, provided that no more than one of the A, D or E may be methyl or phenyl; Y is a β-elimination activating group which in an alkaline environment activates a β-elimination reaction; and n is a positive integer one to six.