Dendrimers and Other Dendritic Polymers

Dendrimers have been referred to as "the polymers of the 21st Century." These macromolecules are characterized by "branch upon branch" architecture and are now rapidly expanding the general fields of polymer science and chemistry. Dendritic polymers are the most recently discovered, fourth major architectural class of macromolecules. They represent a fourth major class after traditional types which include (I) linear, (II) cross–linked and (III) branched architectures. Dendrimers and Other Dendritic Polymers provides a detailed insight into dendritic polymers, and discusses all the known subclasses of dendritic polymers in addition to dendrons and dendrimers, including hyperbranched polymers, dendrigrafts and megamers. Dendrimers possess unique structures and exhibit properties that differ dramatically from those of the more traditional polymer types. These features have contributed to multi–disciplinary applications and now many major chemical companies are investing extensively in dendritic polymer research as they are investigating their broad commercial applications. They are currently being developed for use in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries with identified applications in areas as diverse as: drug delivery, cancer therapy, nano–pharmaceuticals, nano–diagnostics, nanolithography, coatings and adhesives, separation technology and catalysis. With contributions from many of the leading scientists in the field of dendritic polymers, this comprehensive volume provides: ? an overview of developments in the field of dendrimers, with a comparison of properties and synthesis to traditional polymers ? discussion of commercial and potential applications for dendritic polymers ? an identification of the key trends and analytical perspectives in dendrimer research ? practical procedures for the laboratory preparation of some of the more commonly used dendrimer families. This will be essential reading for all chemists, polymer/material scientists, plastics engineers, nanotechnologists and postgraduate polymer scientists and engineers.