The invention relates to a method of producing (meth)acryloylthio esters of general formula I ##STR1## where R represents hydrogen or methyl, and R.sup.1 represents a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a C.sub.1-24 alkyl group, a substituted C.sub.1-24 alkyl group, a cyclic C.sub.3-24 alkyl group; comprising reacting (meth)acrylic acid anhydride (formula II) ##STR2## where R represents hydrogen or methyl, with at least the stoichiometric amount with a thiol or thiolate of formula III where M represents hydrogen or a metal cation, and R.sub.1 is defined as above.
A sulfur-containing O-(meth)acrylate compound of the following formula (1) is useful as a starting material for a resin composition used in optical applications such as a lens; wherein R represents hydrogen atom or methyl group; l represents an integer from 1 to 3; B is ##STR1## when B is ##STR2## n is 2; m is 1 or 2; A is selected from the following groups: ##STR3## wherein m represents 1 or 2; each ring may be substituted by one or more alkyl, alkylthio or alkoxy groups having 1 or 2 carbon atoms; p and q are 0 or 1, while m is 1 when p is 1; when B is ##STR4## n is 1; m is 2 or 3; A is selected from the following groups: wherein r and s are an integer from 1 to 3.
A sulfur-containing O-(meth)acrylate compound of the following formula (1) is useful as a starting material for a resin composition used in optical applications such as a lens; ##STR1## wherein R represents hydrogen atom or methyl group; 1 represents an integer from 1 to 3; B is ##STR2## when B is ##STR3## n is 2; m is 1 or 2; A is selected from the following groups: ##STR4## wherein m represents 1 or 2; each ring may be substituted by one or more alkyl, alkylthio or alkoxy groups having 1 or 2 carbon atoms; p and q are 0 or 1, while m is 1 when p is 1; when B is ##STR5## n is 1; m is 2 or 3; A is selected from the following groups: --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.s --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r -- and ##STR6## wherein r and s are an integer from 1 to 3; when B is ##STR7## n is 1; m is 2; A is selected from the following groups: --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r -- and --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.s --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r -- wherein r and s are an integer from 1 to 3.
A sulfur-containing O-(meth)acrylate compound of the following formula (1) is useful as a starting material for a resin composition used in optical applications such as a lens; ##STR1## wherein R represents hydrogen atom or methyl group; 1 represents an integer from 1 to 3; B is ##STR2## when B is ##STR3## n is 2; m is 1 or 2; A is selected from the following groups: ##STR4## wherein m represents 1 or 2; each ring may be substituted by one or more alkyl, alkylthio or alkoxy groups having 1 or 2 carbon atoms; p and q are 0 or 1, while m is 1 when p is 1; when B is ##STR5## n is 1; m is 2 or 3; A is selected from the following groups: --(CH.sub.2).sub.r --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.s --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.r --and and ##STR6## wherein r and s are an integer from 1 to 3; when B is ##STR7## n is 1; m is 2; A is selected from the following groups: and wherein r and s are an integer from 1 to 3.
Polymerizable compositions comprising: (a) a mixture of thio(meth)acrylate functional monomers comprising, (a)(i) a first thio(meth)acrylate functional monomer, e.g., bis(thiomethacrylate)-1,2-ethylene, and (a)(ii) a second thio(meth)acrylate functional monomer, which is chain extended; (b) an aromatic monomer having at least two vinyl groups, e.g., divinyl benzene; (c) a polythiol monomer having at least two thiol groups, e.g., pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate); and (d) a comonomer selected from, (d)(i) an anhydride monomer having at least one ethylenically unsaturated group, e.g., methacrylic anhydride; (d) (ii) a monomer having at least three (meth)acryloyl groups, e.g., pentaerythritol tetrakis(acrylate); and (d)(iii) mixtures of monomers (d)(i) and (d)(ii). A polymerizate of the polymerizable composition has a refractive index of at least 1.57 and an Abbe number of at least 33.
