Herein is disclosed an oxygen scavenging composition, comprising (i) an oxygen
scavenging polymer comprising structure I:
##CHR1##
, (I)
wherein —R— is selected from the group consisting of C1-C24
alkyl, C1-C24 substituted alkyl, C6-C24 aryl,
and C6-C24 substituted aryl; —Ar— is selected
from the group consisting of C6-C24 aryl and C6-C24
substituted aryl; and —X— is selected from the group consisting
of null and —C(O)—; (ii) a transition metal oxidation catalyst;
and (iii) an energy-absorbing compound selected from the group consisting of microwave
reactive materials and photoinitiators having a wavelength of maximum absorption
of electromagnetic radiation from about 200 nm to about 750 nm. The oxygen scavenging
composition can be used to form an oxygen barrier packaging article.
