Facile synthesis of novel functionalized silsesquioxane nanostructures containing an encapsulated fluoride anion

The presence of strongly electron withdrawing groups on alkoxysilanes, EWG-(CH 2 ) n -Si(OEt) 3 (where n = 1-3 and the electron-withdrawing group EWG contains an Si-C(sp 3 ) bond), facilitates the formation and encapsulation of the fluoride anion in a silsesquioxane cage. Such species have been studied by 19 F and 29 Si NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography together with MALDI-TOP and ESI mass spectrometry. The EWG must not be a good leaving group. Interestingly, this strategy led only to the T 8 cage and excellent yields were obtained (81-95%) even without solvent. A wide range of functionalities were used. This new route offers an opportunity to build novel nanometer-sized 3-D molecular structures with a variety of functionalities which have not been accessible in the past.