1-Acetylferroceneoxime-based photoacid generators: application towards sol–gel transformation and development of photoresponsive polymer for controlled wettability and patterned surfaces

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. C, Materials for optical and electronic devices Vol. 2; no. 23; pp. 4622 - 4630
• Main Authors: Ikbal, Mohammed, Banerjee, Rakesh, Barman, Shrabani, Atta, Sanghamitra, Dhara, Dibakar, Singh, N. D. Pradeep
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Carboxylates; Chlorides; Generators; Irradiation; Sol gel process; Sulfonates; Transformations; Wettability
• ISSN: 2050-7526; 2050-7534
• DOI: 10.1039/c4tc00203b

A newsworthy class of carboxylate and sulfonate esters of 1-acetylferroceneoxime has been demonstrated as non-ionic photoacid generators (PAGs). PAGs based on 1-acetylferroceneoxime were synthesized in good yields by simple treatment of 1-acetylferroceneoxime with various carboxylic and sulfonyl chlorides. Newly developed PAGs of 1-acetylferroceneoxime showed good absorbance >350 nm. On irradiation using UV light ( greater than or equal to 365 nm), carboxylates and sulfonates of 1-acetyl ferroceneoxime in aqueous acetonitrile solvent underwent efficient homolytic cleavage of N-O bond, resulting in the generation of carboxylic and sulphonic acids, respectively, with high chemical and good quantum yields. Further, we demonstrated the application of our newly developed 1-acetylferroceneoxime-based PAGs for gelation of biopolymer alginate on UV irradiation. More interestingly, we synthesized a ferroceneoxime bound photoresponsive polymer, 1-acetylferroceneoxime-polycaprolactone (AFO-PCL), and demonstrated its controlled surface wettability and generation of patterned surfaces.