The lecture focuses on recent developments made in the field of dendrimers, a new class of molecules which are characterized by their structure perfection. They are repeatedly regular and highly branched three-dimensional, monodisperse, and symmetric molecules. It attempts to treat in a comprehensive way the divergent as well as convergent growth method for the synthesis of dendrimers of defined size, shape and topology, including their reaction chemistry, and their theoretical and physical descriptions.
The rapidly accelerating research and development activities in dendrimers and dendritic materials provide critically needed nanoscale building blocks suitable for the development of high performance materials, which also will be discussed. Dendrimers are widely recognized as the most versatile, compositionally and structurally controlled nanoscale building blocks available.