New compounds have been prepared from dicyclopentadiene bis(methylamine) which have the following formula ##STR1## wherein substituents A, B, X and Y each are independently selected from radicals including hydrogen, hydroxyalkyl (wherein the alkyl group contains 2-6 carbon atoms) phosphonic, sulfonic, hydroxyethyl- and hydroxypropyl-sulfonic, methylenephosphonic methylene-, ethylene- and propylenesulfonic, alkylcarboxylic acid radicals (having 2-4 carbon atoms) and the alkali or alkaline earth metal, ammonia and amine salts of any of the phosphonic, sulfonic or carboxylic acid derivatives. At least one of the substituents must be other than a hydrogen.