Abstract: The photochemical behavior of photosensitive crown ethers, benzoylbenzo-15-crown-5(BPC) and bis(4-benzo-15-crown-5) ketone(CBPC), were studied spectrophotometrically and kinetical-ly. The absorption and emission spectral data showed that BPC and CBPC are characteristic of ππ^* at lowest excited state. Their photochemical properties are similar to that of r.lkoxyl substituted benzophenone. Under UV irradiation compounds of BPC and CBPC readily undergo photoreaction with tertiary amine to produce radical species. This photoreduction process was monitored by absorption spectroscopy. These photosensitive crown ethers, BPC and CBPC, have been used as the initiators in combination with tertiary amine for vinyl photopo-lymerization. The polymerization rate (R_p) is directly proportional to (BPC)^0.17 (TEA)^0.29 and (MMA)^0.81.

Key words: photosensitive crown ethers, benzophenone derivative photosensitized initiation system.