Energy polmerizable compositions containing organometallic initiators

Claim 2

An energy polymerizable composition comprising a cationically polymerizable material selected from the group consisting of cyclic ethers, vinyl ethers, N-vinyl compounds, cyclic formals, and cyclic organosiloxanes, and a catalytically effective amount of an ionic salt of an organometallic complex cation and a halogen containing complex anion of a metal or metalloid, said ionic salt being capable of adding an intermediate strength nucleophile or upon photolysis capable of liberating at least one coordination site, the metal in said organometallic complex cation being selected from elements of Periodic Groups IV, VI, VIB, VIIB, and VIIIB, the total charge on said metal in said cation resulting in a net residual positive charge to said complex.

Claim 3

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said ionic salt has the formula: ##STR6## wherein M a , M b , M c , and M d each represents a metal selected from the elements of Periodic Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, and VIIIB; with the proviso that Formula I can represent a mononuclear, binuclear, trinuclear, or tetranuclear complex compound comprising M a , M a M b , M a M b M c , or M a M b M c M d respectively with their attendent ligands, L; L 1a , L 1b , L 1c , and L 1d each represents none, 1, 2, or 3 ligands contributing π-electrons that can be the same or different ligands selected from substituted and unsubstituted acyclic and cyclic unsaturated compounds and groups and substituted and unsubstituted carbocyclic aromatic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds, each capable of contributing two to twelve π-electrons to the valence shell of M a , M b , M c , and M d respectively; L 2a , L 2b , L 2c and L 2d each represents none or 1 to 6 ligands contributing an even number of σ-electrons that can be the same or different selected from mono-, di-, and tri-dentate ligands, each contributing 2, 4, or 6 σ-electrons to the valence shell of M a , M b , M c , and M d respectively; L 3b , L 3c , and L 3d each represents none, 1 or 2 ligands contributing one σ-electron each to the valence shell of M a , M b , M c , and M d respectively; L 4 represents none or 1 to 6 bridging ligands containing π-electrons that can be the same or different ligand selected from substituted and unsubstituted acyclic and cyclic unsaturated compounds and groups and substituted and unsubstituted carbocyclic aromatic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds, each capable of acting as a bridging ligand contributing 2 to 24 π-electrons to the valence shells of two or more metal atoms M a , M b , M c , or M d simultaneously; L 5 represents none or 1 to 12 bridging ligands contributing an even number of σ-electrons that can be the same or different selected from mono, di, and tri-dentate ligands, each donating 2, 4, or 6 σ-electrons to the valence shells of two or more metal atoms M a , M b , M c , or M d simultaneously; L 6 represents none or 1 to 12 bridging ligands contributing 1, 2, 3, or 4 σ-electrons to the valence shells of two or more metal atoms M a , M b , M c , or M d simultaneously; with the proviso that the total electronic charge contributed to M a , M b , M c , and M d by the ligands L 1a , L 2a , L 3 a, L 1b , L 2b , 3b , L 1c , L 2c , L 3c , L 1d , L 2d , L 3d , L 4 , L 5 , and L 6 plus the sum of ionic charge on M a , M b , M c , and M d results in a residual net positive charge of e to the complex; e is an integer having a value of 1, 2, or 3, the residual electrical charge of the complex cation; X is a halogen containing complex anion of a metal or metalloid; f is an integer of 1 to 3, the number of complex anions required to neutralize the charge e on the complex cation, and g, h, j, and k independently are 0 or 1, with at least one of them being equal to 1.

Claim 4

The composition according to claim 2 wherein the ligands L 1a , L 1b , L 1c , and L 1d of the ionic salt each contains less than 100 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron; the ligands L 2a , L 2b , L 2c , and L 2d of the ionic salt each is selected from: a. monodentate ligands having up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, and b. polydentate ligands capable of forming with metal M a , M b , M c , or M d a 4-, 5-, or 6-membered saturated or unsaturated ring containing up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, in addition to the metal atom; the ligands L 3 a, L 3b , L 3c , and L 3d of the ionic salt each has up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron; the bridging ligand L 4 of the ionic salt contains less than 100 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron; the bridging ligand L 5 of the ionic salt contains up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, and boron; and the bridging radical L 6 of the ionic salt has up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron.

Claim 5

The composition according to claim 2 wherein the ligands L 1a , L 1b , L 1c , and L 1d each is independently unsubstituted or substituted by a group selected from hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylmercapto, hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonamido, phenyl, azo, boryl, halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, nitroso, oxo, dimethylamino, diphenylphosphino, trimethylsiloxy, and condensed rings, said group containing up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron.

Claim 6

The composition according to claim 2 wherein said L 1a , L 1b , L 1c , L 1d , L 2a , L 2b , L 2c , L 2d , l 3a , L 3b , L 3c , L 3d , L 4 , L 5 , and L 6 ligands independently are groups on a polymeric chain.

Claim 7

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said ionic salt has the formula: [(L.sup.7)(L.sup.8)M.sup.m ].sup.+e.sub.X.sub.f II wherein M m represents a metal selected from elements of the Periodic Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, and VIIIB; L 7 represents none, one, or two π-electron contributing ligands that can be the same or different ligand selected from substituted and unsubstituted acyclic and alicyclic unsaturated compounds and groups and substituted and unsubstituted carbocyclic and heterocyclic aromatic compounds, each capable of contributing two to twelve π-electrons to the valence shell of M m ; L 8 represents none or 1 to 6 ligands that can be the same or different ligand selected from mono-, di-, and tri-dentate ligands, each contributing 2, 4, or 6 σ-electrons to the valence shell of M m ; with the proviso that the total electronic charge contributed to M m by L 7 and L 8 plus the ionic charge on M m results in a residual net positive charge of e to the complex; e is an integer having a value of 1, 2, or 3, the residual electrical charge of the complex cation; X is a halogen containing complex anion of a metal or metalloid; and f is an integer of 1 to 3, the number of complex anions required to neutralize the charge of e on the complex cation.

Claim 8

The composition according to claim 6 wherein ligand L 7 of the ionic salt contains less than 100 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron; ligand L 8 of the ionic salt is selected from: a. monodentate ligands having up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 2 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron, and b. polydentate ligands capable of forming with metal M m a 4-, 5-, or 6-membered saturated or unsaturated ring containing up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron in addition to the metal atom.

Claim 9

The composition according to claim 7 wherein ligand L 7 is substituted by a group selected from hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylmercapto, hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonamido, phenyl, azo, boryl, halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, nitroso, oxo, dimethylamino, diphenylphosphino, trimethylsiloxy, and condensed rings, said group containing up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron.

Claim 10

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said ionic salt has the formula: [(L.sup.9)(L.sup.10)M.sup.p ].sup.+q Y.sub.n wherein M p represents a metal selected from Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, and Co; L 9 represents one or two π-electron contributing ligands that can be the same or different ligand selected from substituted and unsubstituted η 3 -allyl, η 5 -cyclopentadienyl, and η 7 -cycloheptatrienyl and η 6 -aromatic compounds selected from η 6 -benzene and substituted η 6 -benzene compounds and compounds having 2 to 4 fused rings each capable of contributing 3 to 12 π-electrons to the valence shell of M p ; L 10 represents none, 1 to 3 ligands contributing two σ-electrons to the valence shell of M p ; with the proviso that the total electronic charge contributed to M p by ligands L 9 and L 10 , plus the ionic charge on M p results in a residual net positive charge of q to the complex; q is an integer having a value of 1 or 2, the residual electrical charge of the complex cation; Y is a halogen containing complex anion selected from AsF 6 --, SbF 6 --, and SbF 50 H--, and n is an integer of 1 or 2, the number of complex anions required to neutralize the charge q on the complex cation

Claim 11

The composition according to claim 9 wherein L 9 is substituted by a group selected from hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylmercapto, hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl, hydrocarbylcarbonamido, phenyl, azo, boryl, halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, nitroso, oxo, dimethylamino, diphenylphosphino, trimethylsiloxy, and condensed rings, said group containing up to 30 carbon atoms and up to 10 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, arsenic, selenium, antimony, tellurium, silicon, germanium, tin, and boron.

Claim 12

The composition according to claim 9 wherein ligand L 9 of the ionic salt contains up to 24 carbon and up to two heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur.

Claim 13

The composition according to claim 9 wherein ligand L 10 of the ionic salt is selected from carbon monoxide and the nitrosonium ion.

Claim 14

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said salt is present in an amount in the range of 0.01 to 20 weight percent of said cationically polymerizable material.

Claim 15

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said salt is present in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 weight percent of said cationically polymerizable material.

Claim 16

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said salt is present in an amount in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 weight percent of said cationically polymerizable material.

Claim 17

The composition according to claim 1 further comprising in the range of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a spectral sensitizer per part of organometallic salt.

Claim 18

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said cyclic ether is an epoxy group-containing material.

Claim 19

The composition according to claim 17 which is a 1,2, 1,3-, or 1,4- cyclic ether.

Claim 20

The composition according to claim 1 wherein said cyclic ether is a 1,2-cyclic ether.

Claim 21

A process of polymerizing cationically polymerizable materials comprising the steps: a. admixing a cationically polymerizable material selected from the group consisting of cyclic ethers, vinyl ethers, N-vinyl compounds, cyclic formals, cyclic organosiloxanes, with a cationically effective amount of an ionic salt of an organometallic complex, said ionic salt of an organometallic complex cation being capable of adding an intermediate strength nucleophile or upon photolysis capable of liberting at least one coordination site, said metal in said organometallic complex being selected from elements of Periodic Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, and b. curing the resulting admixture with at least one of a thermal and actinic radiation source.

Claim 22

A process of polymerizing cationically polymerizable materials comprising the steps: a. admixing a cationically polymerizable material selected from the group consisting of cyclic ethers, vinyl ethers, N-vinyl compounds, cyclic formals, cyclic organosiloxanes, with a cationically effective amount of an ionic salt of an organometallic complex, said ionic salt of an organometallic complex cation being capable of adding an intermediate strength nucleophile or upon photolysis capable of liberting at least one coordination site, said metal in said organometallic complex being selected from elements of Periodic Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, and b. curing the resulting admixture with at least one of a thermal and actinic radiation source.

Claim 23

The process according to claim 20 wherein said curing step is accomplished by subjecting said composition to actinic radiation followed by heat.