Fundamental studies of dissolution inhibition in poly(norbornene-alt-maleic anhydride) based resins

The dissolution inhibition mechanism for tert-butylcarboxylate (e.g. tert-b utyl cholate) dissolution inhibitors and onium salt photoacid generators (P AG's) were examined in terpolymers of poly(norbornene-maleic anhydride-acry lic acid) (P(NB/MA/AA)). For tert-butyl carboxylates, increasing hydrophobi city increased the dissolution inhibition ability. Dissolution promotion tr acked with the number of carboxylic acid moieties and the hydrophobicity of carboxylic acids moieties released upon acidolytic cleavage of the tert-bu tyl carboxylate. For onium salt PAG's, increasing the hydrophobicity and si ze of fluorinated anions decreased dissolution inhibition. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.