Structuring of bridged silsesquioxanes via cooperative weak interactions: H-bonding of urea groups and hydrophobic interactions of long alkylene chains

Lamellar-bridged silsesquioxanes were obtained by the acid-catalysed hydrolytic condensation of a series of bissilylated organobridged molecular precursors. It was found that exploiting cooperative effects between the molecular interactions created by long hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains and the H-bonding between urea groups in the precursors favoured the nanostructuring of the corresponding hybrid silicas.