Functional dendrimers

Ln this review new results in the field of dendrimers and hyper-branched mo lecules are collected. After this relatively new and appealing research top ic had entered the field of chemistry, as well as biology, physics, and med icine, fascinating results and the possibilities arising from them are grow ing just like the functionalities of a dendrimer from generation to generat ion. Owing to the multi-disciplinarity of dendrimer chemistry it seems to b e important here to focus on topical research, functions of dendrimers, and their possible applications. In the following, specific functionalization possibilities and their effects are to be discussed first. Then the main at tention is focussed on photoactive, chiral, and supramolecular dendrimers w ith regard to future developments. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.