Derivatives of bisacylphosphinic acid, their preparation and use as photoinitiators

1. Bisacylphosphine oxide or bisacylphosphine sulfide compounds of formula (II)

wherein

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 1a , R 2a and R 3a independently of each other are C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or halogen;

Y is O or S;

X 1 is O or S;

m is 1, 2 or 3;

Q is an inorganic or organic cation.

2. The bisacylphosphine oxide or bisacylphosphine sulfide compounds of formula (II) according to claim 1 , wherein

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 1a , R 2a and R 3a independently of each other are C 1 -C 4 -alkyl;

Y is O or S;

X 1 is O or S;

m is 1.

3. A process for the preparation of bisacylphosphinic acid compounds and bisacylthiophosphinic acid compounds of formula (II) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

X 1 and Y are identical and are O or S;

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 1a , R 2a and R 3a independently of each other are C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or halogen;

m is 1 or 2;

Q is an inorganic or organic cation which comprises

a1) reacting a metallized phosphine complex of the formula (X) or a phosphine of the formula (XI)

 wherein

R A is a group

 R B is a group

 and

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 1a , R 2a and R 3a are as defined above;

with an oxidation agent, in the presence of a base,

to obtain compounds of formula (II), wherein X 1 and Y are O;

or

a2) reacting a metallized phosphine complex of the formula (X) or a phosphine of the formula (XI) as defined above,

with a sulfuration agent, in the presence of a base

to obtain compounds of formula (II), wherein X 1 and Y are S.

4. A process for the preparation of compounds of the formula (II) as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises reacting

a compound

of formula (II), wherein X 1 and Y are O,

or

of formula (II), wherein X 1 and Y are S,

with a suitable electrophilic reagent.

5. A process for the preparation of compounds of the formula (II), as defined in claim 3 , wherein

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 1a , R 2a , R 3a , Q and Y are as defined in claim 3 ;

by reacting a compound of the formula (Ia)

with a suitable nucleophilic reagent.

6. A photopolymerizable composition comprising

(a) at least one ethylenically unsaturated photopolymerizable compound and

(b) as photoinitiator, at least one compound of the formula (II) as defined in claim 1 .

7. A photopolymerizable composition according to claim 6 , additionally to the photoinitiator (b) comprising at least one further photoinitiator (c), and/or other additives (d).

8. A photopolymerizable composition according to claim 7 , wherein further additive (d) comprises a pigment or a mixture of pigments or a mixture of one or more pigments with one or more dyes.

9. A photopolymerizable composition according to claim 7 , wherein additive (d) comprises a dispersant or a mixture of dispersants.

10. A photopolymerizable composition according to claim 6 , further comprising 0.05 to 25% by weight of the photoinitiator (b), or the photoinitiators (b) and (c), based on the composition.

11. A photopolymerizable composition according to claim 6 , wherein additive (d) comprises a photosensitizer.

12. A process for the photopolymerization of compounds containing ethylenically unsaturated double bonds, which comprises irradiating a photopolymerizable composition according to claim 6 with electromagnetic radiation in a range from 150 to 600 nm, or with electron beam or with X-rays.

13. A process according to claim 12 for producing pigmented and nonpigmented paints and varnishes, powder coatings, printing inks, printing plates, adhesives, dental compositions, gel coats, photoresists for electronics, etch resists, both liquid and dry films, solder resists, resists to manufacture color filters for a variety of display applications, for encapsulating electrical and electronic components, for producing magnetic recording materials, micromechanical parts, waveguides, optical switches, plating masks, colour proofing systems, glass fibre cable coatings, screen printing stencils, three-dimensional objects by means of stereolithography, image recording materials, microelectronic circuits, decolorizing materials, formulations containing microcapsules and for forming dielectric layers in a sequential build-up layer of a printed circuit board.

14. A coated substrate which is coated on at least one surface with the composition according to claim 6 .

15. A process for producing pigmented and nonpigmented paints and varnishes, powder coatings, printing inks, printing plates, adhesives, dental compositions, gel coats, photoresists for electronics, etch resists, both liquid and dry films, solder resists, resists to manufacture color filters for a variety of display applications, for encapsulating electrical and electronic components, for producing magnetic recording materials, micromechanical parts, waveguides, optical switches, plating masks, colour proofing systems, glass fibre cable coatings, screen printing stencils, three-dimensional objects by means of stereolithography, image recording materials, microelectronic circuits, decolorizing materials, formulations containing microcapsules and for forming dielectric layers in a sequential build-up layer of a printed circuit board which comprises using the composition according to claim 6 .

16. A process for photopolymerizing of compounds containing ethylenically unsaturated double bonds using the compound of formula (II) as claimed in claim 1 as a photoinitiator.