Indian Turmeric and its Use in Cationic Photopolymerizations

Curcumin, an intensely yellow dye isolated from Indian turmeric is an excellent electron‐transfer photosensitizer for cationic vinyl and ring‐opening polymerizations. Especially attractive features of curcumin are its strong absorption, broad spectral sensitivity, efficient electron‐transfer, low toxicity and low cost. Using curcumin as a photosensitizer, the cationic photopolymerizations of a variety of monomers were carried out including such naturally derived monomers as epoxidized terpenes and epoxidized vegetable oils. The impact of this technology on applications such as housing, boat‐building and water distribution is discussed.