Laser Flash Photolysis of Bismaleimides

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2003

Department

Polymers and High Performance Materials

Abstract

Bismaleimides containing between 2 and 12 methylene spacer units have been synthesized and characterized using laser flash photolysis spectroscopy. In the case of the monofunctional N- methylmaleimide, the 1,4- biradical was observed only at maleimide concentrations high enough to effectively quench the triplet state, indicating that the 1,4biradical is formed from self- quenching of the triplet excited state. The transient spectral features and the transient lifetimes of bismaleimides containing 2 and 9 methylene spacer units closely resemble those of N- methylmaleimide and are attributed to triplet- state transients. N, N '- Alkylenebismaleimides with 3 and 6 methylene spacer groups exhibit a transient with a very short lifetime attributed to a singlet 1,4- biradical species formed from intramolecular interaction. The absence of triplet spectra in these latter bismaleimides indicate that the 1,4- biradical is formed directly from the excited singlet state. The large difference in the lifetime of the 1,4- biradical formed in monofunctional maleimide solutions and bismaleimide solutions is reflective of differences in the biradical spin- state multiplicity. The bismaleimide with a 12 methylene spacer group exhibits transient spectra corresponding to both a triplet state of the maleimide and a 1,4- biradical formed by exo interaction of two maleimide groups. As a demonstration of the ability of acrylate monomers to react with the short- lived singlet biradicals, it is shown that the photopolymerization of a multifunctional acrylate monomer is readily initiated by the 1,4- biradical formed from the bismaleimides with 3 and 6 methylene spacer groups, presumably by direct reaction of the biradical with the acrylate.

Publication Title

Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences

Volume

2

Issue

11

First Page

1074

Last Page

1079

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