about an equimolar amount of the reactants more preferably the protected amine salt is present in a molar excess with respect to the compound of formula i preferably the protected amine salt is present in at least about a 3 5 fold molar excess to the mpeg is about 5 to about 1 when delta peg bis peg or activated on each terminal is used the molar excess is about twice as high e g about a 6 10 fold molar excess similar ratios are used per amine group to be added if branched polymers are used it will be understood that when terminally branched polymers are used the molar excess of protected amine salt preferably used is at least equal to the number of reactive terminal polymer moieties e g tosylate etc found on the polymer in many aspects of the invention a polyalkylene oxide pao such as uncapped peg oh di peg oh or mpeg is converted into a compound of formula iia or iib in many aspects of the invention a polyalkylene oxide pao such as uncapped peg oh di peg oh or mpeg is converted into a compound of formula iia or iib r 2 is a pao such as peg or mpeg and r 7 is for example a methyl halogen nitro fluoromethyl difluoromethyl trifluromethyl and substituted carboxyl ch 3 is preferred after the polymer containing the protected amine is formed the protecting group e g boc is removed via hydrolyzing as mentioned above to for the desired peg amine derivatives in high purity the high purity peg amine can then be used in any art recognized way for example and without limitation it can be used the following examples.