Photopolymerization of N-substituted phenyl maleimide initiated with N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine

Several N-phenyl maleimides with different p-substituents have been synthesized from the maleic anhydride and relevant aromatic amine. In the presence of N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine (DMT), the N-substituted phenyl maleimide (4-XPhMIs) could be polymerized under UV irradiation. It was observed that a new absorption appeared on the UV-Vis spectrum of the mixture solution of 4-XPhMI and DMT, which reveals the formation of charge-transfer complex in the ground state. It was found that the fluorescence of DMT was quenched by 4-XPhMI and the quenching constant of 4-XPhMI, obtained from the Stern–Volmer plot, increases with the electron-deficiency of ethylene double bond of 4-XPhMI. The dynamic quenching of the fluorescence of DMT by 4-XPhMI suggests the formation of exciplex in excited state between DMT and 4-XPhMI. The radicals formed in the systems have been detected by spin-trapping techniques and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer. Based on all of these results, it has been proposed that the initiation process of the polymerization involves the formation of exciplex and the initial radicals were produced by proton-transfer in the exciplex from DMT to 4-XPhMI. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.