Hydroxy‐Substituted Oligosilane Dendrimers: Controlling the Electronic Properties through Hydrogen Bonding

Reminiscent of a snowflake: The dimer of a hydroxy-substituted oligosilane dendrimer (see picture, left; Si yellow, C green, H white, O red) is remarkably stable according to IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds are not only the glue that holds the “silicon snowflake” together, but are also the key to understanding the relationship between the conformation of the oligosilane backbone and its thermochromic behavior.