Photocationic and radical polymerizations by novel N‐phenacylammonium salts

Novel N‐phenacylammonium salts N‐(α‐benzoylbenzyl)‐, N‐(1‐benzoylethyl)‐, N‐phenacyl‐, pyrazinium, 3‐bromoquinolinium, benzothiazolium, or p‐cyanopyridinium hexafluoroantimonates] were synthesized by the reaction of α‐benzoylbenzyl bromide, 2‐bromopropiophenone or phenacylbromide, and the corresponding N‐hetero aromatic compound, followed by anion exchange with KSbF₆. These N‐phenacylammonium salts showed higher activity than previously reported N‐benzyl‐2‐cyanopyridinium hexafluoroantimonate in the photopolymerization of epoxides. Further, these N‐phenacylammonium salts served as photoradical and thermal cationic initiators as well as photocationic initiators. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 3470–3476, 2004