DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 25, 2026 has been entered.
The claim amendment dated February 25, 2026 is entered. Claims 1 and 8 were amended and claim 14 was added. Claims 1-14 are pending.
The declaration under 37 CFR 1.132 filed February 25, 2026 is sufficient to overcome the rejection of claims 1-12 based upon Kim et al. (US 2022/0006019 A1) claims 1-13 based upon Kim et al. (US 2022/0006019 A1) in view of Yuuki (US 2020/0185626 A1).
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The subscripts m11, m21, m22, n11, n12, n13, n22, n23, n31, n32, and n33 shown in the chemical structures of claim 1 are blurry, pixelated, and unclear as received within the 02/25/2026 claim set. Clearer structures in the claim should be provided in a next claim amendment.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “the following Formula 3” in two occurrences, but there is no “Formula 3” structure. Only a “Formula 3A” is shown. Accordingly, the “Formula 3” is not understood and renders claim 1 as well as claims depending upon claim 1 indefinite. Clarification and/or correction are required.
Claim 14 recites “R1’s”, “R2’s”, “R3’s” and “R31’s”, but use of apostrophes indicates the recited “R” groups are possessive where as it appears plural R1s, R2s, R3s, and R31s may be intended. Clarification and/or correction are required.
Allowable Subject Matter
With respect to prior art, claims 1-14 appear to comprise allowable subject matter. Applicant demonstrated unexpectedly improved results for formula 2 compounds comprising specific bridging groups in the declaration received February 25, 2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and the declaration have been fully considered and are persuasive. The obviousness rejections of the previous office action have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Dawn Garrett whose telephone number is (571)272-1523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday (Eastern Time).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Boyd can be reached at 571-272-7783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAWN L GARRETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
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