Synthesis of new dendrimers—trimesic acid derivatives

The efficient synthesis of new dendrimeric polyesters up to generation 3 that consist of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid building blocks with potential applications in drug delivery is described. The dendrimers possess hydroxy or allyl functional groups on the surface and were prepared through a divergent approach using readily available 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ethylpropan-1,3-diol and 1,3,5-benzenetrimethanol as central cores, with 3,5-bis[(allyloxy)methyl]benzoic acid being an essential unit of the dendrimer. The latter compound was synthesized, in high yield, from 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, applying selective hydrolysis of the corresponding triester as the key step.