A composition that includes a non-gelled copolymer that includes one or more
residues
of a first polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a pendant
amide, ester or carboxylic acid group. The nearest neighboring monomer residues
of the majority of the first monomer residues along the copolymer molecule do not
contain pendant carbonyl functional groups. The amide, ester or carboxylic acid
group of the residues of the first monomer are the post polymerization transesterification,
transamidification or hydrolysis reaction product of a C1-C4
alkyl ester group in the unreacted first monomer with a compound selected from
amine functional compounds and hydroxy functional compounds. The reacted copolymer
is substantially free of cyclical structures resulting from the transesterification,
transamidification or hydrolysis reaction. The compositions may be thermosetting
compositions useful in multi-layer composite coatings.
