Chemical compositions for authenticatable polymers and articles, and authentication methods thereof

1. A composition comprising at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound, said at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound being selected from the group consisting of structures I and II:

wherein each R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, electron withdrawing group, aliphatic group, cycloaliphatic group, aromatic group, divalent 1,2-cycloalkylidene group, or combinations thereof;

wherein each R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of trifluoromethyl, acetyl, benzoyl, propanoyl, butanoyl, pentanoyl, methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, acetoacetyl, nitro, chloro, bromo, iodo, fluoro, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, aliphatic group, cycloaliphatic group, aromatic group. divalent 1,2-cycloalkylidene group, or combinations thereof;

“q” is independently an integer from 1–4, L is a linking group, and “r” is independently 0 or 1; and wherein said at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound is present in said composition at a concentration sufficient to cause said composition to exhibit upon exposure to an excitation radiation having a wavelength of from about 330 nanometers to about 390 nanometers, a a maximum fluorescence emission wavelength of greater than or equal to about 470 nanometers; and a Stokes shift of greater than or equal to about 80 nanometers; wherein the wavelengths are measured in bisphenol A polycarbonate matrix.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound has a 10 percent weight loss decomposition temperature, as measured in air of about 280° C. to about 450° C.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein “q”=1.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein “L” is independently selected from the group consisting of C=O, S, O, SO 2 , CR 3 R 4 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, and combinations thereof; and “r” is 1.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein “L” is independently selected from the group consisting of C=O, O, SO 2 , CR 3 R 4 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, and combinations thereof: and “r” is 0.

6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of an ester group, a carboxylic acid group, a ketone group, a halogen group, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a sulfone group, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein said ketone group has a formula COR 7 , wherein R 7 is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 –C 12 aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic group.

8. The composition of claim 6 , wherein said ester group has a formula COOR 8 , wherein R 8 is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 –C 12 aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic group.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said at said at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound is structures XII:

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound has an absorption cut-off wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum of less than or equal to about 420 nanometers.

11. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a polymer.

12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said polymer is a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins, chlorinated polyolefins, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycyclohexylmethylene terephthalate, polyamides, polysulfones, hydrogenated polysulfones, polyimides, polyetherimides, polyethersulfones, polyphenylene sulfides, polyether ketones, polyether ether ketones, ABS resins, polystyrenes, hydrogenated polystyrenes, poly(cyclohexylethylene), poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile), poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) polybutadiene, poly(methylmethacrylate), poly(methylmethacrylate-co-imide)copolymers, polyacrylonitrile, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyphenylene, polyarylene ethers, polyamideimide, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), polyvinyl acetate, liquid crystal polymers, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymers, polyarylates, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylidene chloride, polytetrafluoroethylenes, epoxy resins, phenolic resins, alkyds, polyurethane, mineral filled silicone resins, bis-maleimide resins, cyanate ester resins, vinyl resins, and benzocyclobutene resins; and blends, mixtures and copolymers, reaction products, and composites comprising the foregoing polymers.

13. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said at least one [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound has an absorption cut-off wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum of less than or equal to about 420 nanometers.

14. The composition of claim 13 , comprising from about 0.001 parts per million to about 20 weight percent of said [benzo[4,5]imidazo(heterocycle)] compound, relative to an overall weight of said composition.

15. A compound having a structure I:

wherein R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, electron withdrawing group, aliphatic group, cycloaliphatic group, aromatic group, divalent 1,2-cycloalkylidene group, or combinations thereof; “q” is an integer from 1–4, L is a linking group, and “r” is 0 or 1; and

when “r” is 1, “L” is in dependently selected from the group consisting of S, O, SO 2 , CR 3 R 4 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, and combinations thereof.

16. The compound of claim 15 , wherein “q”=1.

17. The compound of claim 16 , wherein “L” is independently selected from the group consisting of S, O, SO 2 , CR 3 R 4 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, and combinations thereof and “r” is 1.

18. The compound of claim 17 , wherein “r” is 0.

19. The compound of claim 18 , wherein R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of an ester group, a carboxylic acid group, a ketone group, a halogen group, a nitro group, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a sulfone group, and combinations thereof.

20. The compound of claim 19 , wherein said ketone group has a formula COR 7 wherein R 7 is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 –C 12 aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic group.

21. The compound of claim 20 , wherein R 7 is a phenyl group.

22. The compound of claim 19 , wherein said ester group has a formula COOR 8 , wherein R 8 is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 –C 12 aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic group.

23. The compound of claim 15 , having an absorption cut-off wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum of less than or equal to about 420 nanometers.

24. A composition comprising the compound of claim 15 and further comprising a polymer.

25. The compound of claim 24 , having an absorption cut-off wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum of less than or equal to about 420 nanometers.

26. The compound of claim 24 , which exhibits a maximum fluorescence emission wavelength of greater than or equal to about 470 nanometers; and a Stokes shift of greater than or equal to about 80 nanometers.

27. A method for preparing a [2,2′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} compound, said method comprising:

contacting an aromatic dianhydride having a structure III:

 wherein L is a linking group, and “r” is 0 or 1; with an aromatic diamine having a structure IV:

 wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, electron withdrawing group, organic group, divalent 1,2-cycloalkylidene group, or combinations thereof; and “q” is an integer from 0–4; and

forming said [2,2′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} compound having a structure I:

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said diamine is selected from the group consisting of ortho-phenylenediamine, 4-methoxycarbonyl-ortho-phenylenediamine, 4-acetyl-ortho-phenylenediamine, 4-methylsulfonyl-ortho-phenylenediamine, and mixtures thereof.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein “r” is 0, “q” is 1, and R 3 is a benzoyl group.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein said contacting comprises heating the aromatic dianhydride and the aromatic diamine in a solvent, said solvent being selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, an aromatic monohydroxy compound, a cycloaliphatic alcohol, halogenated and non-halogenated liquid aromatic hydrocarbons, N,N-dialkylamides, cyclic N-alkyl amides, and mixtures of the foregoing solvents.

31. The method of claim 27 , further comprising a purification of said [2,2′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one}.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein said purification comprises:

treating [2,2′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} with a first solvent,

isolating an intermediate [2,2′]bi[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11,11′-dione,

treating said intermediate purified [2,2′]bi[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11,11′-dione with a second solvent, and

isolating a purified [2,2′]bi[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11,11′-dione.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said first solvent and said second solvent comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon and a partially hydrogenated aromatic hydrocarbon.

34. The method of claim 33 , wherein said first solvent is dihydronaphthalene.

35. The method of claim 33 , wherein said second solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylenes, mesitylene, and mixtures thereof.

36. A method for preparing a [7,7′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} compound, the method comprising:

contacting an aromatic tetraamine having a structure V:

 wherein “L” is a linking group, and ‘r’ is 0 or 1; with an aromatic monoanhydride having a structure VI:

 wherein R 2 selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, electron withdrawing group, organic group, divalent 1,2-cycloalkylidene group, or combinations thereof and “q” is an integer from 0–4;

forming a first intermediate product;

treating said first intermediate product with a first solvent,

isolating a second intermediate product,

treating said intermediate product with a second solvent, and

isolating said [7,7′]bi[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11,11′-dione compound having a structure II:

 wherein said compound upon exposure to an excitation radiation having a wavelength of from about 330 nanometers to about 390 nanometers exhibits a fluorescence emission having a wavelength of from about 470 nanometers to less than 530 nanometers, and wherein the wavelengths are measured in bisphenol A polycarbonate matrix; said compound being present in a concentration sufficient to produce a composition capable of exhibiting said fluorescence emission.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein said [7,7′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} compound has a 10 percent weight loss decomposition temperature, as measured in air of about 280° C. to about 420° C.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said [7,7′]bis{[benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindolyl]-11-one} compound further exhibits a Stokes shift of about 80 nanometers to about 180 nanometers.