Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

We describe a protocol to photogenerate N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) by UV irradiation of a 2-isopropylthioxanthone/imidazolium tetraphenylborate salt system. Methods to characterize the photoreleased NHC and elucidate the photochemical mechanism are proposed. The protocols for ring-opening metathesis photopolymerization in solution and miniemulsion illustrate the potential of this 2-component NHC photogenerating system.