Ultraviolet absorption spectra of some copolymers containing acenaphthylene, and of related compounds

Abstract The strong ultraviolet absorption in the wave‐length region 280‐330 mμ shown by copolymers of acenaphthylene with styrene or methyl methacrylate is due to acenaphthylene residues. The spectra of samples of copolymer containing a small percentage of acenaphthylene are different from the spectrum of polyacenaphthylene. As a result of the comparison of the spectra of these copolymers with the spectra of acenaphthene and with the two forms of 1,1′‐biacenaphthyl it is concluded that spectra of the copolymers can be explained as arising from the presence of pairs of acenaphthylene groups. Finally it is shown that the spectra can be used to estimate the acenaphthylene contents of the copolymers.