Hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers with sulfonimide linkers as binders for metals of industrial significance.

First- and second-generation hydroxyl-terminated dendrimers were prepared starting from a 1,3-diaminopropane core and sulfonimide linkers. A first-generation mesitylene-derived dendrimer was also prepared with the same terminals. The dendrimers were then reacted with Fe, Al, and UO separately in order to apply the dendrimers for binding these metals, which have important industrial applications and pose environmental problems simultaneously. The prepared dendrimers were also shown to bind Fe selectively from mixtures with Al.