Cationic Photopolymerization by Polymeric Triphenyl Phosphonium Salts

Phenacyl triphenylphosphonium and p-nitrobenzyl triphenylphosphonium polymer bound salts with SbF6- counter ions, have been synthesized and examined as polymeric photoinitiators for the cationic photopolymerization of epoxide monomers such as cyclohexene oxide and vinyl monomers such as N-vinyl carbazole and p-methyl styrene. The polymeric phosphonium salts utilized as photocatalysts and were found to be easy to handle and stable when stored far from normal light. Reaction of the nonpolymerizable epoxide compound trans-stilbene oxide with the polymeric phenacyl phosphonium was investigated in dichloromethane solvent and found to gives diphenyl acetaldehyde.