Polymerizable higher diamondoid derivatives

1. A method of obtaining a polymer comprising:

i) subjecting a higher diamondoid derivative containing one or two covalently-attached moiety replacing a hydrogen, which moiety is a polymerizable moiety or is converted to a polymerizable moiety, to polymerization conditions thereby forming a polymerization reaction product containing a higher diamondoid containing polymer; and

ii) isolating the polymer from the polymerization reaction product,

wherein the higher diamondoid derivative has the formula:

wherein

D is a higher diamondoid nucleus, and

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a polymerizable moiety; provided one or two of the R's is a polymerizable moiety.

2. A method of obtaining a polymer in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable moieties are selected from alkenyl, alkynyl, OH, C 2 H 3 O, SH, NH 2 , CO 2 H, C 6 H 5 , C 6 H 4 NH 2 , C 6 H 4 CO 2 H or C 6 H 4 OH .

3. A method of obtaining a polymer in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable moiety has the structure:

—(X) m —(Y) n —Z

wherein

X is O, NR 7 , OC(O), NR 8 C(O), C(O)O or C(O)NR 9 , wherein R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;

Y is alkylene, arylene, alkarylene, heteroarylene or alkheteroarylene;

Z is alkenyl, alkynyl, OH, C 2 H 3 O, SH, NH 2 , CO 2 H, C 6 H 5 , C 6 H 4 NH 2 , C 6 H 4 CO 2 H or C 6 H 4 OH

m is 0 or 1; and,

n is 0 or 1.

4. A higher diamondoid polymer comprising, as a recurring unit, a higher diamondoid derivative having one or two derivatizing moieties attached to the higher diamondoid, said derivatizing moiety covalently bonding the higher diamondoid into the polymer through an ester linkage, an amide linkage, or an ether linkage.