Dendrimers shell-functionalized

Both energy and electron transfer quenchers have been employed to show that the quenching rates of the fullerene triplet state are decreased as a function of the size of the dendrimer shell [36]. These results further demonstrate that fullerene is an excellent functional group to probe the accessibility of a dendrimer core by external molecules. 

Weener et al. prepared photo-responsive monolayers from azobenzene modified polypropylene imine) dendrimers which also hold promise in the area of optical data storage [74], A fifth generation polypropylene imine) dendrimer was functionalized with equal amounts of palmitoyl and azobenzene containing alkyl chains, resulting in the formation of an amphiphilic copolymer with a random shell structure (Figure 16.5). 

Where X = dendrimer core reagent generation Y = dendrimer shell reagent and Z = surface group functionality. 

The ability of a dendritic shell to encapsulate a functional core moiety and to create a specific site-isolated microenvironment capable of affecting the molecular properties has been intensively explored in recent years [19]. A variety of experimental techniques have been employed to evidence the shielding of the core moiety and to ascertain the effect of the dendritic shell [19, 20]. Dendrimers with a fullerene core appear to be appealing candidates to evidence such effects resulting from the presence of the surrounding dendritic branches. Effectively, the lifetime of the first triplet excited state of fullerene derivatives... 

Each step in dendrimer synthesis occurs independent of the other steps therefore, a dendrimer can take on the characteristics defined by the chemical properties of the monomers used to construct it. Dendrimers thus can have almost limitless properties depending on the methods and materials used for their synthesis. Characteristics can include hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions, the presence of functional groups or reactive groups, metal chelating properties, core/shell dissimilarity, electrical conductivity, hemispherical divergence, biospecific affinity, photoactivity, or the dendrimers can be selectively cleavable at particular points within their structure. 

In contrast to traditional polymers, dendrimers are unique core-shell structures possessing three basic architectural components namely, (I) a core, (II) an interior of shells (,generation) consisting of repetitive branch cell units and (III) terminal functional groups (i.e. the outer shell or periphery) as illustrated in Figures 1.13 and 1.14. 

Functional groups can be introduced at different locations in the dendrimer. Placement in the core of the dendrimer results in a topological isolation and protection of the functional group from the environment [48,49]. Furthermore, single shells of the dendrimer corresponding to different generations can be endowed with functionalities [50]. Thus particles with functions having a defined depth under the surface can be realized. The decoration of the dendrimer sur-... 

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