Synthesis and characterization of a novel alcohol-soluble ladderlike polysilsesquioxane containing side-chain with amino terminal groups

A novel kind of alcohol-soluble ladderlike polysilsesquioxane having side-c hain with amino terminal groups (NH2-T) was first prepared by reduction of nitro terminal groups on the side chains of ladderlike polynitrosilsesquiox ane (NO2-T) with a nearly 100% conversion rate. The parent polymer NO2-T wa s synthesized by stepwise coupling polymerization. As starting monomer, 3-( 4-nitrophenoxy)propyltrichlorosilane (RI) was synthesized by hydrosilylatio n of the corresponding allylic derivative with trichlorosilane in the prese nce of dicyclopentadienylplatinum (II) chloride (Cp2PtCl2) catalyst in a hi gh yield. A variety of characterization methods including FTIR,H-1 NMR, C-1 3 NMR, Si-29 NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric anal ysis, vapour pressure osmometry, and X-ray diffraction were combined to ver ify that NH2-T had ladderlike structure. The alcohol-soluble ladderlike NH2 -T prepared has promising application in controlled release of catalysts an d drugs, NLO materials, alignment layer in liquid crystal display, and as a precursor for further preparing advanced functional polymers and their sup ramolecular systems. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.