These acrylic and methacrylic compounds are chosen from those of the formula: ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is H or CH.sub.3 ; A is (CH.sub.2).sub.n or n is an integer from 2 to 12 or --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.d --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, d is an integer from 1 to 20; X is S or O; Y is S or O, under the condition that X is S and Y is O when A is --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.d --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --; R is C.sub.1 --C.sub.20 alkyl or --(CH.sub.2).sub.p SR.sup.3 where p is an integer from 3 to 12 and R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl; m is an integer from 1 to 3; and Z is H, R.sup.2 QH, or R.sup.2 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 -alkyl and Q is O or S, and the atoms of the metals from Groups IA, IIA, IIIA, IB, IIB, VIB, VIIB and VIII of the Periodic Table, on condition that Z is H or R.sup.2 OH when m is 1 and m is the valence of Z when Z is a metal.