Thiophosphate/Phosphonate-Containing Cross-Linked PEGs and Their Use for the Stabilization of Silver Nanoparticles

A simple strategy was developed to obtain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based materials incorporating phosphonate functions and thiophosphate groups from readily accessible symmetrical PEG compounds and trifunctional thiophosphates. These materials are obtained in a two-step procedure, via the formation of THF soluble, hyperbranched PEG-based polyazomethines that are subsequently functionalized with dimethylphosphite. The resulting materials are hydrolytically degradable, and upon exposure to aqueous solutions of silver acetate they afford stable colloidal solutions of silver.