Photosensitivity of polyvinylesters of substituted cinnamylideneacetic acids

Abstract Several polyvinylesters of substituted cinnamylideneacetic acids were synthesized and their photosensitivities were investigated. It was found that polyvinylesters of planar acids reacted photochemically effectively and were spectrally sensitized by usual triplet sensitizer. On the other hand, polyvinylesters of twisted acids exhibited poor photosensitive properties. Poly(vinyl α‐cyanocinnamylideneacetate) (PV‐V) was found to be an excellent photosensitive polymer with respect to both photosensitivity and thermal stability (or storage stability).