Influence of sol-gel conditions on the growth of thiol-functionalized silsesquioxanes prepared by in situ water production

Thiol-functionalized oligosilsesquioxanes have been synthesized by sol–gel chemistry via the in-situ water production (ISWP) approach, exploiting the esterification reaction of chloro-acetic acid and 1-propanol. The extent of hydrolysis-condensation of 3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (McPTMS) has been studied by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and MALDI-TOF techniques. The esterification reaction plays a key role in ruling out the oligomer structural development. In this work, we have investigated the influence of the theoretical amount of water available for the organosilane hydrolysis, defined by the ratio of chloro-acetic acid to McPTMS in the reaction mixture, and the role of different catalysts like trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and dibutyldilauryltin (DBTL). The behavior of the catalyst is complex since, according to its nature, it may improve the kinetics of the sol–gel reactions and the esterification reaction as well. Comparing the reactions carried out with under-stoichiometric water content, the degree of condensation of the silsesquioxanes is higher if the reaction is catalyzed by TFA than by DBTL, because TFA may improve the kinetics of both hydrolysis-condensation and esterification reactions. The use of DBTL in understoichiometric and stoichiometric hydrolytic conditions raises the yield in ladder-like structures. The degree of condensation generally increases increasing the hydrolysis ratio as well as the yield in cage-like structures. However, when an over-stoichiometric amount of water is provided for the sol–gel reaction, condensation degree and ratio among cages and ladder-like structures appear unaffected by the employed catalyst.