PHOTOINDUCED CHARGE-TRANSFER POLYMERIZATIONS OF VINYL MONOMERS

Abstract Charge-transfer polymerization is a new type of polymerization which has been developed within the last 20 years. Its essential character is the interaction between an electron donor (D) and an electron acceptor (A) involved in the initiating or/and propagating processes. Such polymerization has attracted a great deal of attention, mainly due to three factors. First, it proceeds through a novel type of initiating or propagating mechanism which has increasing interest for theoretical research. Second, since the charge-transfer interaction widely exists in organic compounds, a wide variety of compounds may be used as donors or acceptors in such polymerizations. Third, the charge-transfer interaction lowers the energy for the formation of reactive centers and so the polymerization may be carried out under more moderate conditions.