Spherosilicates with peripheral malonic acid and vinyl end groups.

Two novel spherosilicates comprised of an octahedral Si8O12 core, [Si8O12]-(OSiMe2CH2CH2CH2CH(COOH)2)8 and [Si8O12]-(OSiMe2CH2CH2CH2CH(COOSi(CH=CH2)3)2)8, were synthesized from [Si8O12]-(OSiMe2H)8. These new structures have high densities of peripheral functional groups, and the second structure also possesses silyl ester bonds that are easily cleavable under mild conditions. These functionalities enable these structures to be modified further and to have many potential applications. We demonstrated one by cross-linking the vinyl-terminated spherosilicate to form nanospheres with a narrow size distribution and utilizing the hydrophilic interior to accommodate a Pd salt in a toluene solution.