Synthesis and cationic photopolymerization of phenyl epoxy-silicone monomers

Cationically photopolymerizable phenyl epoxy-silicone monomers (Ep-Ph-Si) with a high RI and high photopolymerization activity have been synthesized via sequential hydrosilylation reactions of 1,3,5,7- tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane by attaching first styrene, followed by 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene-1,2-epoxide in the presence of Lamoreaux catalyst. The content of benzene ring in the monomers was determined by ¹HNMR; the epoxy value was examed by chemical titration. The RI of the obtained monomers showed that the benzene ring could improve the refractive indices (RIs) and the RIs of the phenyl epoxy-silicone monomers ranged from 1.50 to 1.52. The cationic photopolymerization of these monomers initiated by triarylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate (P-S) showed that phenyl epoxy-silicone monomers with little amount of benzene ring still exhibited high photopolymerization rate. Those properties are well suitable for the application in UV-curing optical coatings and encapsulation materials.