"An exemplary reaction scheme is shown below: [0059] wherein PEG is poly(ethylene glycol) and X is a capping group such as alkoxy or a functional group as described above. [0060] Purification of the crude product can also be accomplished by precipitation and ion exchange chromatography as described above. [0061] Heterobifunctional derivatives of this invention can be prepared by the reactions descr" . . . . .