We introduce the formation of a dual responsive supramolecular star polymer system, displaying gated selfassembly behavior. The redox-and thermoresponsive star polymers are based on a 6-fold β-CD functionalized core molecule and RAFT-derived ferrocene end functionalized poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) and poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) (PDEA) linear polymers. Complex formation is analyzed via various methods including dynamic light scattering (DLS). Chemical redox triggers, namely NaOCl and ascorbic acid, as well as electrochemical triggers can be utilized to shift the star polymers to the unbound state via CD/ferrocene complex dissociation. Moreover, heating above the lower critical solution temperature (approximately 34 °C) allows for a change from the coil to the globular state of the star polymers in the case of PDEA arms. For PDMA arms, heating to 70 °C allows shifting of the system to the unbound state. The response of the supramolecular star polymers is carefully studied via various methods including cyclic voltammetry (CV), DLS, and turbidimetry. Overall, the supramolecular star polymers can be transformed into predefined states via individually addressable temperature and/or redox stimuli, presenting a novel dual gated self-assembling supramolecular star polymer system in aqueous solution.

The combination of the Passerini reaction and olefin cross-metathesis is shown to be a very useful approach for the divergent synthesis of dendrimers. Castor oil-derived platform chemicals, such as 10-undecenoic acid and 10-undecenal, are reacted in a Passerini reaction with an unsaturated isocyanide to obtain a core unit having three terminal double bonds. Subsequent olefin cross-metathesis with tert-butyl acrylate, followed by hydrogenation of the double bonds and hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester, leads to an active core unit bearing three carboxylic acid groups as reactive sites. Iterative steps of the Passerini reaction with 10-undecenal and 10-isocyanodec-1-ene for branching, and olefin cross-metathesis with tert-butyl acrylate, followed by hydrogenation and hydrolysis allow the synthesis of a third-generation dendrimer. All steps of the synthesis are carefully characterized by NMR, GPC, MS, and IR.

Front Cover: Renewable castor‐oil‐based dendrimers are synthesized combining the efficient Passerini three component reaction with olefin cross‐metathesis. After preparing the core molecule, iterative steps of the Pass erinireaction with 10‐undecenal and 10‐isocyanodec‐1‐ene for branching, and olefin cross‐metathesis with tert‐butyl acrylate, followed by hydrogenation and hydrolysis allow the synthesis of a third‐generation dendrimer. Further details can be found in the article by O. Kreye, D. Kugele, L. Faust, and M. A. R. Meier* on page 317.