A method of making cyclobutane-1,2-diacid building blocks includes using trans-cinnamic acid in its beta form (head to head packing) and photodimerizing the trans-cinnamic acid to create cis-cyclobutane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid (CBDA-4).

A method of making cyclobutane-1,2-diacid building blocks includes using trans-cinnamic acid in its beta form (head to head packing) and photodimerizing the trans-cinnamic acid to create cis-cyclobutane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid (CBDA-4).

An energy-sensitive composition that yields a cured product with excellent crack resistance, a cured product of the composition, and a method of forming a cured product. The energy-sensitive composition includes a polysilane and a thermal base generator, in which the thermal base generator includes a compound represented by the following formula (b1):

##STR00001##

in which R.sup.b1 and R.sup.b2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, or an alkoxy group, R.sup.b3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; n1 and n2 each independently represent an integer of 0 or more and 4 or less; Z.sup.q+ represents a q-valent organic cation composed of a base having a pKa of greater than 15; and q represents an integer of 1 or more.

An energy-sensitive composition that yields a cured product with excellent crack resistance, a cured product of the composition, and a method of forming a cured product. The energy-sensitive composition includes a polysilane and a thermal base generator, in which the thermal base generator includes a compound represented by the following formula (b1):

##STR00001##

in which R.sup.b1 and R.sup.b2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arylalkyl group, or an alkoxy group, R.sup.b3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; n1 and n2 each independently represent an integer of 0 or more and 4 or less; Z.sup.q+ represents a q-valent organic cation composed of a base having a pKa of greater than 15; and q represents an integer of 1 or more.

A polymer includes a plurality of repeated polymerized units according to scheme (2): ##STR00001##

A polymer includes a plurality of repeated polymerized units according to scheme (2): ##STR00001##

A polymer includes a plurality of repeated polymerized units according to scheme (2):

##STR00001##

A polymer includes a plurality of repeated polymerized units according to scheme (2):

##STR00001##

A polymer is made from polymerization of CBDA monomers. The resulting polymer is thermally cleavable, making it recyclable when heated and degraded. The resulting intermediate material can be hydrolyzed back to initial starting material for synthesizing CBDA monomers.

A polymer is made from polymerization of CBDA monomers. The resulting polymer is thermally cleavable, making it recyclable when heated and degraded. The resulting intermediate material can be hydrolyzed back to initial starting material for synthesizing CBDA monomers.