A new facile, one-pot synthesis of a fully-condensed, ladder-like structured polyphenylsilsesquioxane (LPPSQ) was investigated using a mild reactive phenyltrimethoxysilane precursor by step condensation reaction. Mechanism and kinetic studies indicated that the polymerization proceeded through a T1 structured dimer, which was quantitatively and in-situ formed through hydrolysis of the monomer, to give LPPSQ with imperceptible hydroxyl groups in the end of the polymer chain. Obtained LPPSQ was characterized to be of polymeric, ladder-like structure, and dilute solution SAXS results showed that the obtained LPPSQ was of thin rod shape. Utilizing this vastly simple method, a wide array of organic functional groups were able to be introduced, opening up a new class of inorganic-organic hybrid polymers for new applications that have yet to investigated for these materials. 

Synthesis of functional ladder-like polysilsesquioxanes

248th National Meeting (2014)

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