Photopolymerization kinetics of α-disulfone cationic photoinitiator

An α-disulfone cationic photoinitiator called 4-tolyl methyl disulfone was synthesized and characterized by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, LCMS, IR and NMR. Eight vinyl ether monomers were chosen to study the kinetics of photopolymerization by real-time infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). It showed that 4-tolyl methyl disulfone was an effective cationic photoinitiator. The rate of polymerization and ultimate conversion increased with increase of 4-tolyl methyl disulfone concentration and light intensity.