Radical intermediates in the photochemical decomposition of benzoin and related compounds

Abstract

The radical scavenging technique used in conjunction with e.s.r. spectroscopy has been employed to characterise radicals produced by photolysis of benzoin, benzoin methyl ether, and benzil with reference to their relative efficiencies as photoactivators for radical polymerization. Radicals trapped by N-oxides and nitroso-compounds indicate that while benzoin and its methyl ether are photochemically cleaved in a similar manner, the latter produces radicals more efficiently. Possible mechanisms are presented.