Main-Chain Scission of Acrylic Polymers via Intrachain Transesterification and Their Application in UV-curable Dismountable Adhesives

In this study, we report degradable acrylic polymers obtained by main-chain scission (MCS) via intramolecular transesterification and their application as UV-curable adhesives that allow for gentle dismounting. The solution polymerization of ethyl α-(hydroxymethyl)-acrylate (<b>1</b>) and cyclic allyl sulfide <b>2</b> afforded copolymers with ester bonds in their main chains, which underwent MCS in the presence of 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]-dec-5-ene (TBD). Similar bulk polymerization afforded cross-linked copolymers swollen in <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylformamide (DMF), which were decomposed into soluble oligomers via MCS by TBD. Two glass plates were adhered by the bulk photopolymerization of <b>1</b> (90 mol %) and <b>2</b> (10 mol %) with strengths higher than 9.0 MPa. Soaking these plates in a 10 mM TBD/DMF solution at 25 °C drastically reduced their adhesion strength, and the plates easily peeled off. The adhesion areas decreased over time owing to dissolution by MCS. Thus, MCS using an intramolecular reaction was effective in achieving fast and selective dismounting under ambient conditions.