Synthesis and photopolymerization of 1‐propenyl glycidyl ether

The ambifunctional monomer, 1‐propenyl glycidyl ether, was prepared from allyl glycidyl ether, by a ruthenium‐catalyzed isomerization reaction in high yield. 1‐Propenyl glycidyl ether undergoes facile photoinduced cationic polymerization to yield a crosslinked polymer. The structure of this polymer was studied using 1H‐ and, 13C‐NMR spectroscopies and employing well‐characterized related polymers as models. The model polymers were prepared by the cationic polymerization of allyl glycidyl ether with BF3OEt2 followed by isomerization of the pendant allyl groups by a ruthenium catalyst. Subsequently, the resulting polyether‐bearing pendant 1‐propenyl ether groups was subjected to a diaryliodonium salt‐photoinitiated polymerization. A comparison of the spectra of the polymers indicated the presence of cyclic acetal units in the polymer backbone.