PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF ANTHRYL-SUBSTITUTED KETONES AND THEIR USE AS NOVEL INITIATORS TO PRODUCE END-CAPPED VINYL-POLYMERS

Photolysis studies on 1-(9-anthryl)-hexan-2-one (ABK) in solution show ed it to react primarily via the Norrish type I process to produce ant hrylmethyl and butyl radicals with a quantum yield of about 0.01. 1-(1 -Naphthyl)pentan-1-one (NBK) photolyzed with a similar low quantum yie ld via the type II process with the major product being acetonaphthone . The use of 9-anthrylmethyl-9'-fluorenyl ketone (AFK) and jBK as phot osensitizers in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene gave polymers which appear to be efficiently end capped with anthrylme thyl groups.