SILSESQUIOXANES AS SYNTHETIC PLATFORMS .3. PHOTOCURABLE, LIQUID EPOXIDES AS INORGANIC ORGANIC HYBRID PRECURSORS/

Platinum-catalyzed hydrosilylation of allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) with octahydridosilsesquioxane ((HSiO1.5)(8), T-8(H)) and octakis(dimethyls iloxy)silsesquioxane ((HMe(2)SiOSiO(1.5))(8), Q(8)M(8)H) provides acce ss to tetra- and octaepoxy-functionalized cubic silsesquioxanes (cubes ). The resulting epoxy cubes offer ''masked'' silica contents of up to 65 wt %, are soluble in common solvents, and are viscous Liquids at r oom temperature, making them attractive for coating and nanocomposite applications. They polymerize on exposure to UV light in the presence of a cationic photoinitiator to produce insoluble, hybrid nanocomposit es.