Photoinduced polymerization of maleic anhydride in dioxane

Abstract Maleic anhydride (MAn) was irradiated with ultraviolet light in dioxane at 35°C without initiator, and predominantly a MAn oligomer was obtained with a small quantity of cyclic dimer of MAn. Mass spectrometric, NMR, and elementary analysis investigation of the oligomer showed that it is composed of about four MAn units and one dioxane molecule per molecule.