A study of the elemental reactions involved in the initiation of the polymerization of tetrahydrofuran induced by the photosensitization of a triphenylsulphonium salt by perylene

Abstract

The photopolymerization of THF was studied in the presence of a triphenylsulphonium salt and perylene. The mechanism involves an electron transfer from the excited singlet state of perylene to triphenylsulphonium ions, resulting in perylene cation radicals that react with tetrahydrofuran. The calculated apparent yield of cation radicals follows the same general trend than the measured polymerization rates.

Keywords

• Photopolymerization
• perylene sensitization
• THF polymerization