TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The epoxidized natural oil is selected from epoxidized avocado, coconut, corn, cottonseed, jojoba, linseed, nut, olive, palm, raisin, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, soybean, squash, and/or sunflowers oil. The maleated natural oil is selected from maleated avocado, coconut, corn, cottonseed, jojoba, linseed, nut, olive, palm, raisin, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, soybean, squash, and/or sunflowers oil. The lactam compound having at least one hydroxyl group is selected from substituted pyrrolidin-2-one compound of formula (Ia), and substituted azepan-2-one compound of formula (Ib).R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5=(cyclo)alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl (all optionally functionalized, and optionally containing heteroatoms), or H.The modified natural compound (A1) is synthesized additionally from at least one alcohol. The alcohol is selected from monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, unsaturated aliphatic alcohols, and/or alicyclic alcohols. The monohydric alcohol is selected from methanol, ethanol, menthol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, amyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, hydroxymethyl (meth)acrylate, and/or hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate. The polyhydric alcohol is selected from of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, methoxypolyethylene glycols, glycerin, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, monosaccharides, and/or glucose. Preferred Compounds: The modified natural compound (A1) is selected from epoxidized soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone, where the epoxide functional groups are partially or fully opened; and/or maleated soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone, where the product optionally contains unreacted anhydride groups; or epoxidized soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone and methanol, where the epoxide functional groups are partially or fully opened; epoxidized soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone and polyethylene glycol, where the epoxide functional groups are partially or fully opened; epoxidized soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol methyl ether, and methanol, where the epoxide functional groups are partially or fully opened; maleated soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone and methanol, where the product optionally contains unreacted anhydride groups; maleated soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone and polyethylene glycol methyl ether, where the product optionally contains unreacted anhydride groups; and/or maleated soybean oil reacted with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol methyl ether, and methanol, where the product optionally contains unreacted anhydride groups. Preparation (disclosed): The preparation of the modified natural compound (A1) involves reacting at least one epoxidized natural fatty acid and/or epoxidized natural oil of formula (i) with at least one lactam compound having at least one hydroxyl group of formula R'a-OH, or blend of the lactam compound with at least one optional alcohol, to obtain modified natural fatty acid and/or natural oil of formula (II').R'a=non-hydroxyl residue of the hydroxyl-containing lactam and/or of alcohol.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The monohydric alcohol is polyethylene glycol methyl ether. The polyhydric alcohol is selected from polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polybutylene glycols, polysaccharides, starch, cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, cyclodextrins, glyco-proteins, polymeric alcohols, polyvinyl alcohol, polyhydroxymethyl (meth)acrylate, and/or polyhydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate. EXAMPLE - Paraplex G-60 (RTM: epoxidized soybean oil) (ESO) (1 molar equivalent (eq.)) was opened with hydroxyethyl pyrrolidone (HEP) (3 moles), as follows. A flask was charged with HEP (9.7 g) and tetrafluoroboric acid catalyst (1 ml, 50% aqueous solution). Mixing and heating of reaction in hot oil bath at 115 degrees C was initiated. Paraplex G-60 (28.83 g) was added over 30 minutes in 3 shots such as 10 g at 0 minutes at 98 degrees C, 9 g at 15 minutes, and 10 g at 30 minutes. The reaction was monitored for HEP level by gas chromatography (GC) (13.6 minutes) and epoxide ring depletion was detected by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy (825-835 cm-1). The reaction was completed in 10.5 hours following third ESO addition. The crude reaction product that was clear, amber-gold oil was cooled to room temperature, and then dichloromethane or ethyl acetate (250 ml) was added with mixing to dissolve viscous oil. The resulting clear gold solution was then worked up to obtain viscous clear amber oil of formula (IIa) (16 g). The pH of product and water was 7. The structure indicated that all epoxy rings were open. HEP was incorporated into the product at 0.69 equivalent HEP per 1 equivalent of ESO. In addition to ether linkages between soybean oil and HEP, inter- and intramolecular ether linkages were also present in the product.