Cationic polymerization with p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts: Effect of substituents and mechanistic aspects of initiation reaction

Various p-substituted benzyl p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfonium salts ( 2 ) were synthesized and their initiator activities were evaluated in bulk polymerization of glycidyl phenyl ether (PGE). The order of the activity was found to be 2b (X = CH₃) > 2a (X = H) ≈ 2c (X = Cl) > 2d (X = NO₂), indicating that the introduction of an electron-donating group enhanced the activity. In Hammett's plots, the logarithm of the ratio of the polymerization rates (log k_x/k_H) was correlated with σ⁺_ρ better than with σ_p and a negative ρ⁺ value (-1.18) was obtained. Reaction of 2a with benzyl mercaptan mainly gave dibenzyl sulfide and p-hydroxyphenyl methyl sulfide. The obtained results seemed to demonstrate that the OH group of the aryl group yielded no proton as initiator for the polymerization, whereas the benzyl group caused the polymerization, which was initiated by the corresponding benzyl cation formed by C? S bond cleavage. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dual roles for promoting monomers to polymers: A conjugated sulfonium salt photoacid generator as photoinitiator and photosensitizer in cationic photopolymerization

An efficient strategy for comprehensive utilization of the conjugated sulfonium salt photoacid generator (PAG), namely, 3‐{4‐[4‐(4‐N,N′‐diphenylamino)‐styryl]phenyl}phenyl dimethyl sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate, was developed through photoinitiated cationic photopolymerization (CP) of epoxides and vinyl ether upon exposure to near‐UV and visible light‐emitting diodes (LEDs; e.g., 365, 385, 405, and 425 nm). Photochemical mechanisms were investigated by UV–vis spectra, molecular orbital calculations, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry, and electron spin resonance spin‐trapping analyses. Compared with commercial PAGs, the prepared conjugated sulfonium salt generated H⁺, which can be used as photoinitiator. Moreover, the fluorescent byproducts from photodecomposition can be used as photosensitizer of commercial iodonium salt in the photoinitiating systems of CP. These novel D‐π‐A type sulfonium‐based photoinitiating systems are efficient (epoxide conversion = 85–90% and vinyl conversion >90%; LEDs upon exposure to 365–425 nm) even in low‐concentration initiators (1%, w/w) and low curing light intensities (10–40 mW cm^?2). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2722–2730     

Diethoxy‐azobis(pyridinium) Salt as Photoinitiator for Cationic Polymerization: Towards Wavelength Tunability by Cis–Trans Isomerization

N,N′‐diethoxy‐4,4′‐azobis(pyridinium) hexafluorophosphate (DEAP) has been synthesized by alkylation of the corresponding N‐oxide and characterized. DEAP exhibits UV induced cis–trans isomerization with absorptions at around λ = 459 and 360 nm, respectively. The ability of the DEAP ion to act as a photoinitiator for the cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide and N‐vinylcarbazole is demonstrated. The initiation step involves the decay of the excited state of the trans form of the salt with homolytic bond rupture of the nitrogen–oxygen bond. Its potential use as a photoinitiator for free radical polymerization is also demonstrated using methyl methacrylate monomer as the example.

     

A Multicolor Photoinitiator for Cationic Polymerization and Interpenetrated Polymer Network Synthesis: 2,7‐Di‐tert‐butyldimethyldihydropyrene

For polymer synthesis upon visible light, actual photoinitiator operates in a restricted part of the spectrum. As a consequence, several photoinitiators are necessary to harvest all of the emitted visible photons. Herein, 2,7‐di‐tert‐butyldimethyldihydropyrene is used for the first time as a multicolor photoinitiator for the cationic polymerization of epoxides. Upon addition of diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and optionally N‐vinylcarbazole, the originality of this approach is to allow efficient monomer conversions under various excitation light sources in the 360–650 nm wavelength range: halogen lamps, and light‐emitting and laser diodes. The synthesis of an interpenetrated polymer network from an epoxide/acrylate blend using a red light at 635 nm is also feasible. The formed polymer material exhibits a photochromic character.

     

Self‐initiation of the UV photopolymerization of brominated acrylates

Brominated aromatic acrylates were found to polymerize rapidly upon exposure to UV light. Moreover, they are able to initiate the UV‐induced polymerization of acrylic formulations that do not contain a conventional photoinitiator. In contrast, the corresponding unbrominated homologues are not effective as initiators. Investigations by real‐time FTIR spectroscopy have shown that the addition of only 1 wt % of a brominated acrylate is sufficient for an efficient initiation. Fast photopolymerization is achieved even if irradiation is carried out at λ > 300 nm where most acrylates do not absorb. Short‐lived transients were studied by laser flash photolysis. The triplet was found to show low sensitivity to oxygen which is because of its very short lifetime. Bromine radicals split of from the acrylates were trapped with bromine ions from tetraethyl ammonium bromide and detected as Br. The resulting quantum yields for the formation of bromine radicals are in the range of up to 0.3. Quantum chemical modeling was carried out to establish a mechanism for the release of bromine radicals. Both bromine and bromophenyl radicals are able to initiate the polymerization reaction. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4905–4916, 2008     

Tetraalkylammonium salt as photoinitiator of vinyl polymerization in organic and aqueous media: A mechanistic and laser flash photolysis study

N‐Dimethyl‐N‐[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl]‐N‐(1‐methylnaphthyl)ammonium tetrafluoroborate ( I ) was synthesized with the aim of obtaining a versatile photoinitiator for vinyl polymerization in organic solvents and water. Salt I was able to trigger the polymerization of acrylamide, 2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate and styrene even at very low concentrations of the salt (～1.0 × 10^?5 M). Using laser flash photolysis and fluorescence techniques and analyzing the photoproduct distribution, we were able to postulate a mechanism for the photodecomposition of the salt. With irradiation, I undergoes an intramolecular electron‐transfer reaction to form a radical ion pair (RIP). The RIP intermediate decomposes into free radicals. The RIP and the free radicals are active species for initiating the polymerization. Depending on the concentration of the vinyl monomers studied, the initiation mechanism of the polymerization reaction changes. At large monomer concentrations, the RIP state is postulated to trigger the reaction by generating the anion radical of the olefin substrate. At a low monomer concentration, the free radicals produced by the decomposition of I are believed to start the chain reaction. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 901–913, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10166     

Overcoming the oxygen inhibition in the photopolymerization of acrylates: A study of the beneficial effect of triphenylphosphine

Triphenylphosphine (TPP) was used in free‐radical UV‐curable resins to reduce oxygen inhibition effect. The relative influence of concentration, monomer viscosity, light intensity and sample thickness on TPP efficiency was investigated by real time infrared spectroscopy. It is shown that TPP is an effective oxygen scavenger. The mechanism was investigated by means of Laser Flash Photolysis. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2462–2469, 2010     

Cationic copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran with ethylene oxide in the presence of diols: Composition,microstructure, and properties of copolymers

Cationic copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran (THF) with ethylene oxide (EO) in the presence of diols leads to dihydroxy terminated telechelic copolymers. In the present article the influence of copolymerization conditions on the copolymer structure was studied in view of conclusions derived from studies of copolymerization kinetics and mechanism. It was shown that according to established copolymerization mechanism, the number average molecular weights increase linearly with conversion up to M_n ≅ 2500, hydroxyl end groups are bound exclusively to EO units and copolymers are composed of [EO]–[THF]_y segments. Microstructure of copolymers may be to some extent regulated by changing reaction conditions. Some physical properties of copolymers also were studied. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3455–3463, 1999     

Photocrosslinking of copolymers of vinyloxyethyl methacrylate–styrene initiated by sulfonium salts. I. Transient species formed on photolysis of sulfonium salt

Benzyl cation was detected by transient absorption spectroscopy with a spectroscopic multichannel analyzer on pulse excitation (fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG laser, 266 nm; 10 ns fwhm) of benzyl(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate(BSS) in 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC). The benzyl cation was long-lived (lifetime, 59 ms) at room temperature and quenched by a vinyl ether compound. The formation of the benzyl cation as active species on photolysis of BSS is in contrast to the formation of Brønsted acids in other sulfonium salts so far reported. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Near‐infrared spectroscopy investigation of water effects on the cationic photopolymerization of vinyl ether systems

Real‐time Fourier transform near‐infrared spectroscopy has been used to monitor monomer and water concentrations simultaneously during cationic vinyl ether photopolymerization. The use of near‐infrared peak area methods allows the water content to be conveniently and nondestructively determined in any monomer or polymer for which the water peak has previously been calibrated by gravimetric analysis. Although the shape of the absorption band due to absorbed water in a monomer changes with the quantity of water, the integrated intensity from about 5350 to 4900 cm^?1 can be correlated directly to the water concentration, and this region is well removed from the vinyl‐based absorption at approximately 6190 cm^?1. This approach provides a highly informative, dynamic technique for examining the influence of moisture on polymerization reactions. Significant differences have been observed in the effects of absorbed water on the cationic photopolymerization kinetics of vinyl ether monomers with or without an ? OH group. Along with the rapid consumption of water coupled to vinyl ether polymerization, acid‐catalyzed hydrolysis reactions have also been spectroscopically observed, giving rise to the formation of aldehyde groups. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1985–1998, 2004     

Studies on the polymerization mechanism of 3-nitratomethyl-3′-methyloxetane and 3-azidomethyl-3′-methyloxetane and the synthesis of their respective triblock copolymers with tetrahydrofuran

Novel energetic oxetane derivatives, 3-nitratomethyl-3′-methyloxetane (NMMO) and 3-azidomethyl-3′-methyloxetane (AMMO), were used as monomers in a triflic anhydride [(CF₃SO₂)₂O] initiating polymerization system. The “living cationic” characteristics of the polymerization were investigated and confirmed via a ¹⁹F NMR technique. This living polymerization system was, thus, utilized in the synthesis of well-defined block copolymers. Novel polymers of the A—B—A— type with various molecular weights (M?_w = 14320–40660) and low polydispersity indexes (PDI = 1.11–1.29) were obtained. Two glass transition temperatures (T_g) near the respective T_gs of the homopolymers were found in the DSC thermograms of the block copolymers. The THF/AMMO copolymers were shown to possess higher thermal stability compared to THF/NMMO copolymers from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Influence of the initiating mechanism on the cationic photopolymerization of a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin with arylsulfonium salts

The photocuring process of widely used 3,4‐epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3′,4′‐epoxycyclohexane carboxylate has been investigated with differential scanning photocalorimetry and attenuated total reflection/Fourier transform infrared. Mixed salts of triarylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate have been employed as the photoinitiator. The photocuring of the biscycloaliphatic resins exhibits a complex behavior: the overall heat of reaction (including dynamic thermal postcuring) depends on the photocuring temperature, surprisingly high reaction rates are observed at lower photocuring temperatures, and the range of the glass transition of the fully cured material broadens and shifts to higher temperatures as the photocuring temperature increases. It is assumed that the balance between the initiation step and the propagation step is responsible for the changes in the reaction mechanism that produce the observed experimental results. This balance may depend on the amount of the photoinitiator, the irradiation intensity, and the photocuring temperature. The structure and final properties of the material may therefore depend on the adjustment of these parameters. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 16–25, 2007     

Real‐time Fourier transform infrared study of the free‐radical ultraviolet‐induced polymerization of a hybrid sol–gel. II. The effect of physicochemical parameters on the photopolymerization kinetics

Free‐radical photocurable hybrid sol–gel materials have gained special interest during the last decades. Compared to thermally processed materials, they present the advantages of fast curing, low energy consumption, and spatiotemporal control of the reaction. Although comprehension of the photochemical step is fundamental, little is known about the characteristic of photochemistry in this kind of material. Real‐time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to study the photopolymerization of a hybrid sol–gel upon ultraviolet irradiation. Various photoinitiator systems were tested for their efficiency in inducing the polymerization of pendant polymerizable moieties anchored on a partially condensed silicate network. The presence of O₂ and the nature of the polymerizable function were shown to be crucial factors in the photoinduced process. The effects of the photoinitiator concentration and light intensity were also studied. These results were explained in terms of classical kinetic models developed for all‐organic photopolymers to point out the distinctive aspects related to the use of photoinitiated polymerization in hybrid sol–gel materials. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 831–840, 2003     

Effect of oligo(spiroorthocarbonate)s on the volume shrinkage of epoxides during crosslinking by sulfonium salt‐initiated cationic polymerization of epoxides

Oligo(spiroorthocarbonate)s 1 , which were synthesized by the polycondensation of pentaerythritol derivatives with tetraethylorthocarbonate, were employed as comonomers in the cationic polymerization of epoxide initiated by sulfonium salt. In the copolymerization, the spiroorthocarbonate moiety of 1 underwent double ring‐opening reaction, leading to the efficient diminution of the volume shrinkage upon the copolymerization. Thermal properties of the resulting networked polymers were evaluated by TGA. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1564–1568     

Photopolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate: Effect of the medium properties on the polymerization rate

The effect of solvent properties on the polymerization rate of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was examined with the photoreaction of 4,4′‐azobis(2‐amidinopropane) and photoinduced electron transfer of a thioxanthone derivative and triethanolamine as the radical source. The polymerization rate of HEMA was markedly affected by pH and the medium polarity. The rate increased over a pH range of 6–8. The dependence of the polymerization rate on the amine concentration photoinitiated by the bimolecular system was different in water and acetonitrile as solvents. In aqueous medium, pH 9.5, the rate increased with the amine concentration reaching a constant value at 0.025 M amine; further amine addition inhibited the polymerization. In organic media the inhibition effect was not observed. Triethanolamine addition did not change the polymerization rate photoinitiated by the azo compound. Photochemical studies of the thioxanthone were carried out under the polymerization conditions. These studies allowed us to simulate the dependence of the polymerization rate on the amine concentration. The results are explained in terms of the interaction of the ketone excited states with the amine in the different media. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2368–2373, 2003     

Synthesis and study of a novel hybrid UV photoinitiator: p-benzoyldiphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (PhCOPhI+PhPF)

A novel hybrid photoinitiator, p-benzoyldiphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (PhCOPhI⁺PhPF⁻₆), was synthesized, characterized, and studied. It absorbs UV light not only below 300 nm, but above 300 nm as well. When exposed to UV light, it undergoes an asymmetrical photocleavage to produce cation-radicals and radicals which could induce cationic and radical polymerizations respectively. Compared with the simple iodonium salt PhI⁺PhPF⁻₆, and bimolecular sensitization system PhCOPh/PhI⁺PhPF⁻₆, the covalently bonded photosensitization system PhCOPhI⁺PhPF⁻₆ is much more efficient as a photoinitiator. Oxygen has a small negative effect on the cationic polymerization photoinitiated by PhCOPhI⁺PhPF⁻₆, while isopropanol has a small positive influence only in argon atmosphere. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of poly(HEMA‐co‐AAm) hydrogels by visible‐light photopolymerization of aqueous solutions containing aspirin or ibuprofen: analysis of the initiation mechanism and the drug release

Recently, we reported the synthesis of hydrogels by visible‐light photopolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate and acrylamide, employing safranine O as sensitizer, and a functionalized silsequioxane (SFMA) as co‐initiator/crosslinker. The influence of the ionic character of a drug on its release rate from the hydrogels was also reported. In the present study, we analyzed the photoinitiation mechanism, the synthesis of hydrogels in the presence of aspirin (ASA) or ibuprofen (Ibu), and their release from hydrogels synthesized with variable SFMA concentrations. Concerning the photoinitiation mechanism, we found that the main contribution was the electron transfer reaction between the excited triplet state of safranine and SFMA, followed by a fast proton transfer reaction from secondary amine groups. The generated nitrogen radicals initiated the copolymerization reaction. The photoreaction quantum yield was 0.031. Concerning the drug‐release study, we found that the release rate of both drugs increased by increasing pH from 7 to 10. This was ascribed to the increase in the partial ionization of the carboxylic acid groups, a fact that reduced the interactions with the secondary amine groups present in SFMA and increased the release rate. The effect was larger for ASA than for Ibu. Increasing the amount of SFMA increased both the crosslink density and the fraction of H‐bonds formed with the drugs. At pH 10, the increment in the crosslink density was dominant for the release of Ibu while the increase in fraction of H‐bonds determined the release rate of ASA. Cytotoxicity studies showed that these materials did not exhibit significant hemolytic activity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oxidative polymerization of 5 amino,1,10‐phenanthroline: A theoretical study

The molecular and electronic structures of 5‐amino‐1,10‐phenanthroline and its monoprotonated and diprotonated species were obtained from ab initio quantum mechanical calculations with unrestricted Hartree–Fock (HF) and Møller–Plesset perturbation theories. The analysis of the net atomic charges and the total spin densities show three possible sites for the monomeric coupling in the polymerization process. The minimal energy conformation for the different kinds of coupling in the formation of the dimers was obtained. The studies were extended to the HF/6‐311 + G(2d,p)//B3LYP (Becke's three‐parameter exchange functional and the gradient‐corrected functional of Lee, Yang, and Paar)/6‐31G(d) level of theory to obtain theoretical nuclear magnetic resonance spectra to study the number and kinds of species involved in the protonation mechanism. Theoretical and experimental nuclear magnetic resonance spectra are in excellent agreement. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

A mechanistic investigation of a three‐component radical photoinitiator system comprising methylene blue,N‐methyldiethanolamine,and diphenyliodonium chloride

Three‐component systems, which contain a light‐absorbing species (typically a dye), an electron donor (typically an amine), and a third component (usually an iodonium salt), have emerged as efficient, visible‐light‐sensitive photoinitiators. Although three‐component systems have been consistently found to be faster and more efficient than their two‐component counterparts, these systems are not well understood and a number of distinct mechanisms have been reported in the literature. In this contribution, photodifferential scanning calorimetry and in situ, time‐resolved, laser‐induced, steady‐state fluorescence spectroscopy were used to study the initiation mechanism of the three‐component system methylene blue, N‐methyldiethanolamine and diphenyliodonium chloride. Kinetic studies based upon photodifferential scanning calorimetry reveal a significant increase in polymerization rate with increasing concentration of either the amine or the iodonium salt. However, the laser‐induced fluorescence experiments show that while increasing the amine concentration dramatically increases the rate of dye fluorescence decay, increasing the DPI concentration actually slows consumption of the dye. We concluded that the primary photochemical reaction involves electron transfer from the amine to the dye. We suggest that the iodonium salt reacts with the resulting dye‐based radical (which is active only for termination) to regenerate the original dye and simultaneously produce a phenyl radical (active in initiation) derived from the diphenyliodonium salt. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2057–2066, 2000