Synthesis of mesitylene-based polyamine dendrimer for functionalisation of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

We have synthesised first generation (G1) of mesitylene-based polyamine dendrimer by following the convergent approach. The polyamine dendrimer was characterised by the usual spectroscopic techniques including liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. To develop polycationic functionalised carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) as advanced systems for the delivery of nucleic acid, we attached G1 polyamine dendrimer onto the surface of single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs). Thef-SWCNTs were characterised by thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The nanotubes after functionalisation with polyamine dendrimer showed good dispersibility in highly polar solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]