Synthesis of single component element-block materials based on siloxane-based cage frameworks

This mini-review focuses on recent efforts to prepare single component element-block materials based on siloxane-based cage frameworks, a promising approach to control the sequence of organic and inorganic segments in organic-inorganic hybrids at the molecular level. Polyhedral octasilsesquioxanes, denoted (RSiO1.5)(8) or labeled T-8 cages, and octadimethylsiloxy-Q(8) cages, denoted (RSiMe2OSiO1.5)(8), are used here as siloxane-based cage frameworks. Thermoplastic optically transparent silsesquioxane materials derived from a single cage compound can be obtained with dumbbell- and star-shaped cage structures, allowing precise design of their structures for tuning properties. The siloxane-based cage core dendrimers are ideal candidates for single component element-block materials which possess three-dimensional, well-defined molecular level structures. Their rigid and cubic inorganic frameworks provide unique features for siloxane-based cage core dendrimers. These topics attract attention in both academia and industry. (c) 2016 Society of Chemical Industry