THE OXIDATIVE-DEGRADATION OF IMIDE POLYMERS .1. OZONOLYSIS OF A MODEL-COMPOUND, N-PHENYLPHTHALIMIDE

The reactions of N-phenylphthalimide films with ozone have been studie d under a variety of conditions: dry ozone, moist ozone, ozone plus ul traviolet light, as well as ozone plus water vapor plus ultraviolet li ght. This compound is a conveniently available model for imide polymer s. These reaction conditions represent simulation of certain aspects o f the space environment. For each set of reaction conditions the react ion products were determined by combined gas chromatography/mass spect rometry. Semiempirical molecular orbital computations were made of the relative energetics of possible reaction pathways consistent with the generation of the observed products. The reaction products found indi cate fragmentation of the imidic moiety for which the energetics are f avorable.