Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
New functional nanobuilding blocks have been successfully synthesized by hydrosilylation of unsaturated alcohols with dimethylsiloxy isobutyl-POSS and further acylation with methacryloylchloride. The solvent influence on the reaction pathway has been studied, and reaction steps and final nano-objects have been characterized using multinuclear NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The organic spacer chain length between the inorganic cage and the reactive methacrylate function has been changed in order to modify the reactivity of the final functional nanobuilding block in the polymerization process.