Novel adducts of a hindered amine and a blue-emitting fluorophore for "one-step" fluorescent brightening and stabilisation of polymer materials

Two new monomeric 1,8-naphthalimide blue-emitting fluorophores, containing hindered an-line stabiliser fragment have been synthesised for the first time using phase-transfer catalysis conditions. Their ability for simultaneously fluorescent brightening and stabilisation of polyacrylonitrile has been demonstrated. The chemical bonding of the synthesised monomers in the polymer chain was confirmed spectrophotometrically. The influence of these additives on the photostability of the co-polymers was studied. The participation of combined molecules in the polymerisation did not affect considerably the co-polymers' molecular weight. A significant stabilising effect against photodegradation was determined. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.