Highly Branched Dendritic Macromolecules with Core Polyhedral Silsesquioxane Functionalities

Reaction of the first and second generations of monodendrons, bearing peripheral 2,2‘:6‘,2‘‘-terpyridine units (tpy) and focal point benzylic bromine, with phosphine-substituted silsesquioxane Si8O12(CH2CH2PPh2)8 in refluxing THF affords the corresponding dendritic macromolecules with encapsulated polyhedral silsesquioxane cores. The synthesis of such molecules and their characterization by 1H, 13C, 31P{1H}, and 29Si NMR, as well as fast atom bombardment (FAB/MS) and electrospray (ESI/MS) mass spectral analysis, are described herein.