A new synthetic method for tricyclic laddersiloxanes, ladder-type silsesquioxanes with defined structures, is developed based on intramolecular cyclization of hydrosilyl-functionalized cyclic siloxanes. This method enables the construction of unprecedented laddersiloxanes with various ring sizes. Herein, the preparation of tricyclic laddersiloxanes containing 6-8-6-, 8-8-8-, or 12-8-12-membered-ring systems is reported. These products can be considered as bat-shape siloxanes, owing to their rigid inorganic siloxane body with flexible oligosiloxane "wings" as side rings. The synthesized compounds are potential building blocks for well-defined nanomaterials, porous materials, and host molecules.
Keywords: hybrid organic-inorganic; laddersiloxane; silsesquioxane; tricyclic laddersiloxane.
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