DETAILED ACTIONNotice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 4-5, 23, and 25 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claims 4, 23, and 25, line 2, “4-hydroxystyerene” should read “4-hydroxystyrene”.
In Claim 5, lines 1-2, “the acid labile protecting cap” should read “the acid labile acetal group”.
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 4, 23, and 25 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.
Regarding claims 4, 23, and 25, the limitation in line 3 of “(5 mol%)” in parentheses renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation is required or optional.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3, 21-22, and 24 are allowed.
Claims 4-5, 23, and 25 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Kumar et al. (“Tetrahydropyranyl ether (THPE) formation in hydroxyl group protection and conversion to other useful functionalities”) and He (“Advanced Adsorbents for Capture of Vapor-Phase Mercury and Other Toxic Components from Flue Gas”) are considered to be the closest prior art to the instant claims.
None of the prior art teach or suggest a mercury or methyl-mercury capture material, comprising a polymer surface with exposed thiol or sulfide moieties and phenol moieties, said phenol moieties capped with an acid labile acetal group.
Conclusion
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/ABDUL-RAHMAN YUSUF WALEED SMARI/Examiner, Art Unit 1736
/ANTHONY J ZIMMER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1736