Organic trialkoxysilane monomers

Schmidt (35) demonstrated that alkyl substituents enhance ligand electron donation. Hydrolysis is enhanced under acidic conditions, but is retarded under basic conditions, by methyl substitution of ethoxysilane derivatives. This result is important for the generation of organic-inorganic hybrid materials. When TEOS is reacted with silicon monomers containing alkyl substituents (or organic polymers with trialkoxysilane groups), the relative reaction rates just described must be controlled to produce true hybrids and avoid blocky materials. 

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