Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. II. Polymerization mechanism of 2,5-distyrylpyrazine

The polymerization mechanism of trans,trans-2,5-distyrylpyrazine (DSP) has been investigated and some crystal changes along with the polymerization process have been observed through polarizing microscope and x-ray diffraction pattern. Information has been obtained on the active species, polymerization reaction type, and other factors such as light intensity, reaction temperature, or crystalline state. The polymerization of DSP occurs only in the solid state by photoirradiation. Reduced viscosity increases gradually with the increase of conversion and increases sharply above 80% conversion. Polymerization rate increases with the increase of light intensity and temperature. On the other hand, reduced viscosity decreases with the increase of temperature but does not depend on light intensity within the range investigated. The polymer obtained at low conversion as well as at high conversion has high crystallinity, and the direction of polymer axes is simply related to that of monomer crystal. It was concluded that the four-center type polymerization of DSP proceeds topochemically by a photochemically induced stepwise mechanism.