Photoreactions in synthetic polymers

It should be emphasized that a plethora of research papers and patents have been devoted to the field of photoreactions in synthetic polymers. However, only a few important results are highlighted in this chapter. For more detailed information, the reader is referred to relevant books and reviews [1-28]. 

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I 7 Photoreactions in synthetic polymers Generation of Free Radicals... 

In this chapter the topochemical [2+2] photoreactions of diolefin crystals are reviewed from the viewpoints of organic photochemistry, analysis of reaction mechanism, and crystallography as well as in terms of synthetic polymer chemistry and polymer physics. 

With azobenzene-containing amphiphilic BCPs, the photoreaction concerned is the reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of the chromophore upon UV and visible light illumination, respectively. From both the design and synthetic considerations, it is better to link azobenzene moieties onto the hydrophobic polymer. In this case, as schematically illustrated in Fig. 6.1, the hydrophobic block, bearing pendant azobenzene moieties in the more stable trans isomer can form the hydrophobic core of the core-shell micelle or the membrane of the vesicle... 

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