Synthesis of ditrimethylolpropane acrylate with low functionality for UV-curable coatings

An UV-curable acrylic resin, ditrimethylolpropane acrylale (DTMPA), with low functionality was synthesized by esterification of ditrimethylolpropane and acrylic acid. The influences of the synthetic process, such as catalyst, acid/alcohol ratio, inhibitor, solvent, reaction time, and temperature were discussed in detail. The chemical structure of the DTMPA was characterized by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectra. The optimal synthesis conditions of the DTMPA were determined, and the resulting product had a yield of 86.5% and pale color. The results of a UV-curing test indicate that the DTMPA has a higher curing speed than that of trimethylolpropane triacrylate.