Crosslinkable polymers

1. A polymer comprising (a) recurring units that are represented by the following Structure (A):

wherein:

R, R′, and R″ are independently hydrogen or an alkyl, cyano, or halo group,

R 1 is hydrogen or a halo, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, cyano, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxy, or ester group,

L is an organic linking group,

EWG represents an electron withdrawing group having a Hammett-sigma value greater than or equal to 0.35 such that the oxygen-carbon bond in O—C(EWG)(R 1 ) is cleavable in the presence of a cleaving acid having a pK a of 2 or less as measured in water,

Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group,

X is NR 2 or oxygen,

R 2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group,

t-alkyl represents a tertiary alkyl group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and

m represents at least 1 mol % and up to and including 100 mol %, based on the total recurring units in the polymer.

2. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein R, R′, and R″ are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or chloro, R 1 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or halo-substituted methyl, X is oxygen, EWG represents a trifluoroalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a trichloroalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, cyano, nitro, carboxylic acid, or a carboxylic acid ester, Ar is substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, and t-alkyl represents a tertiary alkyl group having 4 or 5 carbon atoms.

3. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein EWG represents a trichloromethyl group or a trifluoromethyl group, Ar is unsubstituted phenylene, and t-alkyl represents a tertiary butyl group.

4. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein L is a carbonyloxyalkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkylene chain or a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group.

5. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein m represents at least 10 mol % and up to and including 95 mol %, based on total recurring units in the polymer.

6. The polymer of claim 1 further comprising (b) recurring units comprising pendant groups that provide crosslinking in the presence of the cleaving acid having a pK a of 2 or less as measured in water.

7. The polymer of claim 6 , wherein the (b) recurring units are present in an amount of at least 1 mol % based on the total recurring units in the polymer.

8. The polymer of claim 6 , wherein the (b) recurring units comprise pendant glycidyl groups and are present in an amount of at least 1 mol % and up to and including 50 mol %, based on the total recurring units in the polymer.

9. The polymer of claim 6 further comprising additional (c) recurring units that are different from all (a) and (b) recurring units, wherein the additional (c) recurring units are present in an amount of at least 1 mol % and up to and including 50 mol %, based on the total recurring units in the polymer.

10. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein R, R′, and R″ are independently hydrogen or methyl, R 1 is hydrogen or methyl, L is a carbonyloxyalkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group, EWG represents a trichloromethyl or trifluoromethyl group, X is oxygen, Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, and t-alkyl represents a tertiary alkyl group having 4 or 5 carbon atoms.

11. The polymer of claim 10 , wherein EWG represents trifluoromethyl, Ar is an unsubstituted phenylene group, and t-alkyl represents a tertiary butyl group.