Synthesis of 1-propenyl ethers and their using as modifiers of UV-cured coatings in radical and cationic polymerization

The I-propenyl ethers of diols, and polyols have recently attracted increasing attention as monomers and comonomers because these compounds undergo UV-photoinitiated polymerization. The synthesis of I-propenyl ethers via the isomerization of corresponding, readily available allyl ethers catalysed by homogenized transition metal complexes with recycling of catalyst has been described The properties of UV-cured coatings have been investigated for various compositions containing: the model ether (i.e. 1,4-di(l-propenyloxy)-butane), the unsaturated polyester resin [Estromal 103] or epoxy resin [Epidian 6] and radical (i.e. Irgacure 184) or cationic (i.e. triarylsulfonium salts with metal halide anions: PF6-, SbF6-) initiators. The purified or unrefined (i.e. including 0.05 mol% homogenized ruthenium(11) complex [RuClH(CO)(PPh3)(3)]) 1,4-di(I-propenyloxy)butane were applied as modifiers. The effect of presence of homogenized [RuClH(CO)(PPh3)(3)] in the composition has been discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.