Cyclopentadienyl-functionalised polyhedral silsesquioxanes as building blocks for new nanostructured materials

Polyhedral silsesquioxanes, (RSiO1.5)n (n = 8 and 10) with cyclopentadienyl (R = -C5H5 or -(CH2)3-C5H5) functionalities have been prepared by hydrolytic condensation of the correspondent silicon organic precursors RSiCl3 or RSi(OC2H5)3. The products with cyclopentadienyl groups have been used to prepare new cross-linked 3D polymeric materials by Diels-Alder reaction.