(PNSiMe3)4(NMe)6: A robust tetravalent phosphaza-adamantane scaffold for molecular and macromolecular chemistry

Tetraarylmethanes and adamantanes are very rare examples of rigid, four-way, anionic connectors that play a scaffolding role in multiple areas of molecular and materials chemistry. We report the synthesis of a tetravalent phosphaza-adamantane cage, (PNSiMe3)4(NMe)6 (2), that shows unusually high ambient, thermal, and redox stability due to its unique geometry. It nevertheless participates in four-fold functionalization reactions on its periphery. The combination of a robust core but a reactive corona makes 2 a convenient inorganic scaffold upon which tetrahedral molecular and macromolecular chemistry can be reliably constructed. This potential is exemplified by the unprecedented synthesis of a tetracationic tetraphosphinimine (3) and the first porous all-P/N polyphosphazene network (5).

Special Issue: “Peter Biely, A Pioneering Researcher in the Enzymology of Plant Biomass Degradation”

As it has been outlined on the website of the Special Issue entitled “Peter Biely, a pioneering researcher in the enzymology of plant biomass degradation” in the journal Molecules (section Macromolecular Chemistry, ISSN 1420-3049), plant biomass is a key renewable resource [...]

Green-light photocleavable meso-methyl BODIPY building blocks for macromolecular chemistry

We report the design of easily accessible, photocleavable meso-methyl BODIPY monomers suitably functionalised for incorporation into macromolecules. Firstly a BODIPY-diol as a novel AA-type bifunctional monomer is reported. Secondly, from...

Polymers: The second century

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the revolutionary article published by the German chemist Hermann Staudinger (1881–1965), entitled “Über Polymerisation” (Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 53 (6) (1920) 1073–1085), which is considered as the beginning of macromolecular chemistry and polymer science in general.