Facile and efficient synthesis of star-shaped oligomers from a triazine core

A facile and efficient synthetic approach to tripodal star-shaped oligomers is described. Several generations of hydroxyl-terminated tripodal star-shaped oligomers were prepared in high yield from 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (TAT) as a core by alternating amine-catalyzed thiol-ene and acrylate esterification reactions. The compounds were fully characterized by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, and elemental analysis. The combination of thioether groups and hydrogen bonding moieties suggests that these products can be used as metal chelating ligands.