Patent ID: 8076443

Claim:
A method for derivatizing olefinic functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) or polyhedral oligomeric silicate (POS) silanol or siloxide molecules comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a silane coupling agent of the formula R 2 SiX 3 in the presence of a hydroxide base to form POSS or POS silanol or siloxide molecules, wherein the R 2 group contains an olefin group and X is selected from the group consisting of OH, ONa, OLi, OK, OCs, Cl, Br, I, alkoxide (OR), formate (OCH), acetate (OCOR), acid (OCOH), ester (OCOR), peroxide (OOR), amine (NR 2 ), isocyanate (NCO), and R 3 , where R and R 3 are the same or different and each represents an organic substituent group selected from the group consisting of H, siloxy, and aliphatic and aromatic groups that may contain additional reactive functionalities; (b) reacting a silane coupling agent of the formula R 1 SiX 3 with the POSS or POS silanol or siloxide molecules in the presence of a hydroxide base, wherein the R 1 group contains an alkyl or aromatic group, and wherein said POSS or POS silanol or siloxide molecules contain both R 1 and R 2 ; and (c) chemical derivatization of R 2 , wherein the derivatization is selected from the group consisting of oxidation, addition, and metathesis reactions, while preserving the R 1 and silanol or siloxide functionality.