STUDIES OF THE ANTENNA EFFECT IN POLYMER-MOLECULES .26. PREPARATION, PHOTOPHYSICS, AND PHOTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF POLY[2-(6-SULFO-2-NAPHTHOXY)ETHYL METHACRYLATE SODIUM SALT-CO-LAURYL METHACRYLATE]

The radical copolymerization of 2-(6-sulfo-2-naphthoxy)ethyl methacryl ate sodium salt and lauryl methacrylate led to a water-soluble polymer that contained both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components. Studies s howed that naphthalene excimer formation was dependent on both solvent and ionic strength, indicating that excimer formation occurred predom inantly from across chain contacts. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic nature of the polymer gives it the ability to solubilize hydrophobic molecul es such as perylene. Steady-state fluorescence depolarization and emis sion studies demonstrated that energy migration among the naphthalene sulfonate groups occurs as well as energy transfer from the naphthalen e sulfonate groups to the solubilized perylene. Photochemical studies showed that the polymer sensitizes the photooxidation of perylene usin g both monochromatic and solar-simulated light.