Synthesis and characterization of novel reactive ladder-like polysilsesquioxanes with side-chain ester groups (Ester-Ts)

Two kinds of structure-ordered reactive ladder-like polysilsesquioxanes with different side-chain ester groups (Ester-Ts) have been synthesized successfully by a new route – stepwise coupling polymerization – with three steps including preaminolysis, hydrolysis and polycondensation. Two monomers, 2-trichlorosilylethyl acetate (M1) and 3-trichlorosilylpropyl propionate (M2), were first synthesized by hydrosilylation with dicyclopentadienylplatinum (II) chloride (Cp2PtCl2) as a catalyst. Monomer and polymer structures were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 29Si NMR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and vapour pressure osmometry (VPO). Characterization data indicate that these two polymers have ordered ladder-like structures.