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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization
Published on: November 29, 2018
Do germanium-based photoinitiators have the potential to replace the well-established acylphosphine oxides?
1Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9/IV, 8010 Graz, Austria. michael.haas@tugraz.at.
Abstract:
In the last few decades, there has been an increasing demand for photoinitiators with growing requirements. Nowadays, photoinitiators need to fulfill several requirements such as a low level of toxicity, biocompatibility, fast polymerization rates, high activities, good photobleaching and much more in order to remain competitive on the market. Accordingly, we compare acylphosphine oxides and acylgermanes, two common classes of photoinitiators, with respect to their various synthetic pathways, toxicity, availability and performance.
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