Dendrimers with N,N-disubstituted hydrazines as end groups, useful precursors for the synthesis of water-soluble dendrimers capped with carbohydrate, carboxylic or boronic acid derivatives

The first synthesis of dendrimers possessing N,N-disubstituted hydrazines as end groups allows us to carry out a versatile reactivity. Carbohydrate, carboxylic acid and boronic acid derivatives have been linked to the surface of the dendrimer in a very simple fashion, using the Schiff condensation. The stability of the resulting functionalized dendrimers has been checked: those linked to carboxylic acid derivatives are stable more than 7 months in water, demonstrating the high stability of both the hydrazone bonds and the whole skeleton of the dendrimer. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.