Abstract
Although cyclic amidine compounds are strongly basic compounds and used as hardening accelerators for epoxy resins, little has been known as single-component initiators so far. In this research, curing behavior of epoxy resins were examined by using a cyclic amidine compound with active hydrogen, 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine (THP). As a result, two-step exothermic reactions based on an addition of THP to the epoxide and the epoxy polymerization were observed. We might propose the following anionic polymerization mechanism; in the initiation reaction, a hydroxyl group should be formed by an addition of the THP to the epoxide. And subsequently, the deprotonation of the hydroxyl group by tertiary amino groups of the THP must be procedured, and the generated alkoxide induced an anionic polymerization of the epoxide.
