Novel bis-onium salts and the use thereof as photoinitiators

Claim 2

A composition of matter comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid, and a bis-sulfonium, -selenonium, -arsonium, -ammonium, or -phosphonium salt comprising: an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital than at least one substituent attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt; at least one substituent, attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt, which comprises an electron-withdrawing group which causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on the substituent and the S, Se, As, N or P atom of the salt; an insulating group which links said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group to each of the S, Se, As, N, or P atoms of said salt, said insulating group essentially preventing x resonance between said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group and the other substituents in said salt; and two anions; said salt being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group, of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 3

A composition of matter comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid, and a compound which has one of the following formulas: ##STR14## wherein: R 1 represents an electron donating aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital greater than R 3 and R 6 ; R 2 and R 5 each, independently, represent the same substituent as R 3 or R 6 or an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; L 1 and L 2 each, independently, represent a linking group which essentially prevents π resonance between R 1 and the remainder of the compound; R 3 and R 6 each, independently, represent an electron withdrawing alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group, which electron withdrawing group causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on R 3 , R 6 and the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of the salt; J 1 and J 2 each, independently, represent an S, Se, As, N or P atom, and, when J 1 or J 2 represents As, N or P, R 4 and R 7 , respectively, represent the same substituent as R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 and, when J 1 or J 2 represents an S or Se atom, R 4 and R 7 each, independently, represent O or an electron pair; and, W 1 - and W 2 - each, independently, represents an anion capable of forming a Bronsted acid having a pKa of less than 7, said compound being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by R 1 , of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 4

A composition of matter comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid, and a compound which has one of the following formulas: ##STR14## wherein: R 1 represents an electron donating aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital greater than R 3 and R 6 ; R 2 and R 5 each, independently, represent the same substituent as R 3 or R 6 or an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; L 1 and L 2 each, independently, represent a linking group which essentially prevents π resonance between R 1 and the remainder of the compound; R 3 and R 6 each, independently, represent an electron withdrawing alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group, which electron withdrawing group causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on R 3 , R 6 and the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of the salt; J 1 and J 2 each, independently, represent an S, Se, As, N or P atom, and, when J 1 or J 2 represents As, N or P, R 4 and R 7 , respectively, represent the same substituent as R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 and, when J 1 or J 2 represents an S or Se atom, R 4 and R 7 each, independently, represent O or an electron pair; and, W 1 - and W 2 - each, independently, represents an anion capable of forming a Bronsted acid having a pKa of less than 7, said compound being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by R 1 , of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 5

A composition of matter as defined in claim 2 in which, in the definition of the substituents in the formulas, L 1 and L 2 each represents a phenyl or a naphthyl linkage and J 1 and J 2 are attached to the phenyl or naphthyl linkage in the 3-position with respect to R 1 .

Claim 6

A composition of matter comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid, and a bis-sulfonium, -selenonium, -arsonium, -ammonium, or -phosphonium salt comprising: an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital than at least one substituent attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt; at least one substituent, attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt, which comprises an electron-withdrawing group which causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on the substituent and the S, Se, As, N or P atom of the salt; an insulating group which links said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group to each of the S, Se, As, N, or P atoms of said salt, said insulating group essentially preventing π resonance between said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group and the other substituents in said salt; and two anions; said salt being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group, of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 7

A composition of matter comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid, and a bis-sulfonium, -selenonium, -arsonium, -ammonium, or -phosphonium salt comprising: an aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital than at least one substituent attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt; at least one substituent, attached to each of the S, Se, As, N or P atoms of said salt, which comprises an electron-withdrawing group which causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on the substituent and the S, Se, As, N or P atom of the salt; an insulating group which links said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group to each of the S, Se, As, N, or P atoms of said salt, said insulating group essentially preventing π resonance between said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group and the other substituents in said salt; and two anions; said salt being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by said aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group, of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 8

A polyester support having thereon a coating comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid and a compound having one of the following formulas: ##STR15## wherein: R 1 represents an electron donating aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital greater than R 3 and R 6 ; R 2 and R 5 each, independently, represent the same substituent as R 3 or R 6 or an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; L 1 and L 2 each, independently, represent a linking group which essentially prevents π resonance between R 1 and the remainder of the compound; R 3 and R 6 each, independently, represent an electron withdrawing alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group, which electron withdrawing group causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on R 3 , R 6 and the S, Se, As, N or P atom of the salt; J 1 and J 2 each, independently, represent an S, Se, As, N or P atom, and, when J 1 or J 2 represents As, N or P, R 4 and R 7 , respectively, represent the same substituent as R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 and, when J 1 or J 2 represents an S or Se atom, R 4 and R 7 each, independently, represent O or an electron pair; and, W 1 - and W 2 - each, independently, represents an anion capable of forming a Bronsted acid having a pKa of less than 7, said compound being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by R 1 , of forming a Bronsted acid.

Claim 9

A polyester support having thereon a coating comprising a material curable by a Bronsted acid and a compound having one of the following formulas: ##STR15## wherein: R 1 represents an electron donating aromatic or heterocyclic aromatic group which absorbs UV or visible radiation and which exhibits a higher energy occupied molecular orbital greater than R 3 and R 6 ; R 2 and R 5 each, independently, represent the same substituent as R 3 or R 6 or an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; L 1 and L 2 each, independently, represent a linking group which essentially prevents π resonance between R 1 and the remainder of the compound; R 3 and R 6 each, independently, represent an electron withdrawing alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group, which electron withdrawing group causes the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital to be localized on R 3 , R 6 and the S, Se, As, N or P atom of the salt; J 1 and J 2 each, independently, represent an S, Se, As, N or P atom, and, when J 1 or J 2 represents As, N or P, R 4 and R 7 , respectively, represent the same substituent as R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 and, when J 1 or J 2 represents an S or Se atom, R 4 and R 7 each, independently, represent O or an electron pair; and, W 1 - and W 2 - each, independently, represents an anion capable of forming a Bronsted acid having a pKa of less than 7, said compound being capable, upon exposure to UV or visible radiation absorbed by R 1 , of forming a Bronsted acid.