Pulse radiolysis and theoretical investigation on the initial mechanism of the e-beam polymerization of epoxy resins. The results obtained on (phenoxymethyl)oxirane

The radical cation of (phenoxymethyl)oxirane (PGE⋅+) is generated by pulse radiolysis in dichloromethane solution and by direct action of radiation on the title compound. In the pure system its UV–vis spectrum is characterized by two bands at 340 and 430 nm, such that the electronic structure corresponds to a dipole bearing the positive charge on the phenoxy side. At the same time, the phenoxy-oxirane bridge is weakened. Then, the radical cation fragments into a phenoxonium ion and an oxyranylmethyl radical (kPGE-fragm=1.16×107s-1). The latter immediately rearranges to an allyloxyl radical by ring opening. It is then conceived that the action of onium salts, as radiation curing initiators of phenoxy-oxirane derivatives, occurs after epoxy ring opening.