Z. Naturforsch. 2012,
67b, 1132 – 1136
doi:10.5560/ZNB.2012-0199
Photo-Crosslinking of Copolymeric Methacrylates Bearing Stilbene Chromophores
Angelika
Jahnke and
Herbert
Meier
Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10–14, 55099 Mainz, Germany
Received July 25, 2012 / published online November 12, 2012
Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (2) as major component and the methacrylates 1a or 1b, which contain an (E)-stilbene unit fixed by a tether to the ester group, yield easily soluble copolymers 3a, b. Whereas the dominant photoreactions in solution are (E) ⇄ (Z) isomerizations and intra-chain [2π + 2π] cycloadditions, cast films of 3a, b give an inter-chain photo-crosslinking on irradiation. Compared to homopolymers, the copolymers are not only better soluble and more easily processible, their films show less undesired light scattering. The cross-linked material is completely insoluble in organic solvents. Thus, it represents the basis for negative photoresists and the corresponding imaging techniques.
Key words: Radical Copolymerization, Stilbene Chromophore, Negative Photoresist