The present invention is directed to compounds and adhesives finding special utility in dental applications. Compounds of formulae: are of special interest, wherein: R represents a polymerizable group of the structure  wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or methyl group; A represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; Xqs represent independently an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; Yqs represent independently hydrogen atom; Zqs may independently represent D-R2 where D represents a single carbon atom and R2 represents phenyl; p is an integer from 1 to 10; and q is an integer from 1 to p.