Precise Synthesis of Discrete Sequence-defined Oligosiloxanes

Precise oligomeric materials that lie between the low-molecular-weight discrete molecules and high-molecular-weight disperse polymers constitute a growing research area not only in terms of fundamental studies but also for various applications. In the field of silicone (polysiloxane) materials, several research groups have reported various methods for the synthesis of discrete oligosiloxanes but improvement in the control of siloxane sequences is still desirable. This review highlights our recent contributions to the precise synthesis of discrete sequence-defined oligosiloxanes by controlled iteration of B(C6F5)3-catalyzed reactions. As controlled iteration can be performed in one pot, various discrete sequence-defined oligosiloxanes can be more readily synthesized in comparison to the other reported methods.