Modification of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) Molecules by Ruthenium Catalyzed Cross Metathesis

The scope of ruthenium (Ru)-catalyzed cross metathesis (CM) of allyl-decorated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) was explored. A variety of different commercial and non-commercial ruthenium complexes were tested to determine that the nitro-activated Ru catalyst is optimal for this transformation. The reported transformation was used to prepare selected hybrid steroid-POSS compounds.