ADHESIVE SYSTEMS USING IMINES AND SALTS THEREOF, PRECURSORS TO ELECTRON DEFICIENT OLEFINS AND COREACTANTS THEREFOR

1 - 3 . (canceled)

4 . An adhesive system comprising:

(a) an iminium salt within structure II:

wherein K + is

wherein R 1 -R 2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkenyl, and alkynyl; and A-B are each independently selected from the group consisting of linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl or alkenyl which may be interrupted with heteroatoms or substituted by functional groups, or A and B taken together form a cyclic or polycyclic alkyl or alkenyl structure, which may be interrupted with heteroatoms or substituted by functional groups;

E is selected from the group consisting of a linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon with or without one or more nitrogen-containing substituents thereon, a heterocyclic, an aromatic and an organosiloxane group or part thereof or linkage; and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon, a heterocyclic, an aromatic or an organosiloxane group or linkage; wherein when more than one of K, E or R 3 are present, each instance thereof is defined independently from the other instance(s);

w is 1-100; y is 1-100 and z is 0-100; and

X is an anion;

(b) a compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro; and

(c) a compound bearing at least one functional group reactive with either:

the compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto from (b) or

a product of the reaction of the iminium salt from (a) with the compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto from (b).

5 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the compound of (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages.

8 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the iminium salt of structure II and the compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto react under exposure to elevated temperature conditions.

13 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the compound of (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages.

14 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the compound of (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages.

15 . The adhesive system of claim 14 , wherein the compound of (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages, at least one of said electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages being a carboxyl.

16 . The adhesive system of claim 15 , wherein the carboxyl attached to each of said methylene linkages forms an ester with a linker therebetween.

17 . The adhesive system of claim 16 , wherein the linker is a member selected from the group consisting of linear, branched or cyclic alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene, with or without interruption by heteroatoms or substitution by halogen, hydroxyl, ether, thioether, ester, reverse ester, or carboxylic acid; arylene; heteroaromatic; and siloxane.

18 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the reactive functional group on compound of (c) is a member selected from the group consisting of epoxides, episulfides, oxetanes, isocyanates, (meth)acrylates, maleimides, benzoxazines, oxazolines, and combinations thereof.

19 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein R 3 in structure II is attached to a solid support.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The adhesive system of claim 21 , wherein the solid support is selected from the group consisting of silica, aluminum oxide, zeolites, and glass.

24 . A process for the preparation of a reactive adhesive system, a step of which comprises:

(a) providing in a first part an iminium salt within structure II in accordance with claim 4 , and a compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro; and a compound bearing a functional group reactive with a product of reacting the iminium salt with the compound containing at least one methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto.

25 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the compound (b) containing at least one saturated methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto is selected from one or more of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, propargyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, n-octyl, n-nonyl, oxononyl, n-decyl, n-dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, 2-butenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, phenethyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, methoxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, butoxymethyl, butoxyethyl or dimethyl siloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid.

26 . 2-cyanoacrylate esters selected from oxononyl, ethynyl, cyclohexyl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxybutyl, propoxyethyl, butoxymethyl, or dimethyl siloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid.

27 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the iminium salt of structure II embraces iminium salts within structure IIA:

wherein R 1 -R 2 , A-B, E, R 3 , w, y, z and X are as defined above.

28 . The adhesive system of claim 4 , wherein the compound (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages.

29 . The adhesive system of claim 28 , wherein the compound (b) has at least two methylene linkages having at least two electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages, at least one of said electron withdrawing substituents attached to each of said methylene linkages being a carboxyl.

30 . The adhesive system of claim 29 , wherein the carboxyl attached to each of said methylene linkages forms an ester with a linker therebetween.

31 . The adhesive system of claim 30 , wherein the linker is a member selected from the group consisting of linear, branched or cyclic alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene, with or without interruption by heteroatoms or substitution by halogen, hydroxyl, ether, thioether, ester, reverse ester, or carboxylic acid; arylene; heteroaromatic; and siloxane.