Initiators

The photoinitiated polymerization of ethyl cyanoacrylate (ECA) by benzyl triphenylphosphonium hexafluoroantimonate (BP+) and (anthracen-9-ylmethyl)triphenylphosphonium hexafluoroantimonate (MAP+) was studied. Zwitterionic and free radical mechanisms which involved homolytic and heterolytic decomposition of the phosphonium salts are discussed. The anthracene-sensitized photopolymerization of ECA was also demonstrated.

Methyl α-cyanoacrylate, when suitably inhibited by Lewis acids against anionic polymerization, can be polymerized readily with free-radical initiators to form hard, clear, high molecular weight polymers. The ratio of kp2/kt is approximately 0.021 at 60°C. if 100% efficiency of initiation by azobisisobutyronitrile is assumed. Acceleration occurs at very low conversion to polymer during bulk polymerizations. The homopolymer is thermally unstable at temperatures only slightly above the glass temperature (estimated to be 165–170°C.).

The absolute rate constants of propagation kp and of termination kt of ethyl α-cyanoacrylate (ECNA) were determined in bulk at 30°C by means of the rotating sector method under conditions to suppress anionic polymerization; kp = 1 622 1 · mol−1 · s−1 and kt = 4,11 · 108 1 · mol−1 · s−1 for the polymerization in the presence of acetic acid, and kp = 1610 1 · mol−1 · s−1 and kt = 4,04 · 108 l · mol−1 · s−1 for the polymerization in the presence of 1,3-propanesultone. The magnitude of k/kt determined was 6,39 · 10−3 l · mol−1 · s−1.