Polymerizable benzophenone derivatives for labeling vinyl acetate‐butylacrylate latex particles

We describe the synthesis and characterization of three new polymerizable benzophenone derivatives [2‐acryloxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone (8), 4′‐dimethylamino‐2‐acryloxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone (9), and 4′‐dimethylamino‐2‐(β‐acryloxyethyl)oxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone (10)]. We show that these monomers can successfully be incorporated into vinyl acetate (VAc) copolymer latex particles. These particles were prepared by semicontinuous emulsion polymerization and mini‐emulsion polymerization of VAc with butylacrylate (BA) for VAc/BA = 4/1 by weight. The two monomers 9 and 10 bearing the 4′‐dimethylamino group satisfy the important spectroscopic criteria required of a dye to serve as an acceptor chromophore for nonradiative energy transfer from phenanthrene (Phe) as the donor. Their UV absorption spectra suggest significant overlap with the emission spectrum of Phe, which can be incorporated into P(VAc‐co‐BA) latex through copolymerization with 9‐acryloxymethyl Phe (2). In addition, these chromophores provide a window in their absorption spectra for excitation of the Phe chromophore at 300 nm.