Synthesis of Amphiphilic Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Having a Hydrophobic Fluorescent Dye Group and Its Formation of Fluorescent Nanoparticles in Water

In this study, we synthesized an amphiphilic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) having controlled numbers of hydrophilic and fluorescent hydrophobic groups. (seven and one, respectively) by the successive reactions of a starting compound, octa(3-aminopropyl)-POSS, with - gluconolactone and with dansyl chloride under appropriate conditions. The product formed fluorescent nanoparticles with relatively well-defined morphology in water by self-aggregation, which was confirmed by SEM, DLS, and fluorescence measurements.