Diaryliodonium salts are well-established compounds in free radical chemistry and are already used as photoinitiators (free radical or cationic polymerization), but the presence of counter anions is a strong drawback. Indeed, a counter anion is always required (e.g., SbF6−) leading to potential toxicity issues or release of HF. In the present paper, counter anion-free and fluoride-free aryliodonium salts are proposed, that is, aryliodonium ylides (AY) are studied here as new and efficient additives for radical chemistry and an example is provided for the camphorquinone (CQ)/amine based photoinitiating systems (PISs) for the polymerization of thick (1.4 mm) and thin (20–13 µm) methacrylates under air and blue light irradiation. The newly proposed PISs, for example, CQ/amine/AY, presented excellent polymerization performances and good bleaching properties were obtained after polymerization. Real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RT-FTIR) was used to monitor the photopolymerization profiles. The chemical mechanisms involved were investigated using electron spin resonance (ESR).

2‐Oxo‐2‐(tert‐butyldimethylsilyl)acetic acid (DKSi‐COOH), is proposed here as a new high‐performance photoinitiator (PI) for the free radical polymerization of methacrylates under blue light irradiation. In the presence of DKSi‐COOH, very good polymerization performances are reached and outstanding bleaching properties are obtained compared to traditionally used camphorquinone‐based photoinitiating systems. Remarkably, this new developed PI exhibits good water solubility and excellent stability in acidic conditions and represents therefore a promising candidate for water‐based formulations.

Many academic and industrial works are carried out for the search of new classes of visible light photoinitiators. In the last decade, new Type I photoinitiator generating silyl, germyl, or stannyl radicals is elegantly reported; the chemical mechanisms being often associated with the cleavage of the C(═O)-Si, C(═O)-Ge, or C(═O)-Sn bonds. In this context, silyl glyoxylates are also reported as dual Type I and Type II photoinitiators. Silyl glyoximides are proposed here as new near-UV and blue light sensitive photoinitiators. The synthesis of such compounds as well as their light absorption properties is discussed. Their photochemical properties are studied through steady state photolysis experiments and molecular modeling data (i.e., through the calculations of the frontier orbitals, C-C bond dissociation energies and triplet state energy levels). To finish, their photoinitiating ability upon near-UV or blue light emitting diode light is examined in a benchmark methacrylate monomer blend (BisGMA/TEGDMA). Markedly, a Type I photoinitiator behavior is highlighted but better initiating properties are found in multicomponent systems in combination with iodonium salt and amine.