Finding new ways for the preparation of cross-linked structures is a significant problem in terms of materials for biomedical application, lithium batteries electrolytes, and etc. Within this work we have studied the possibility to utilize hydrosilylation and Piers-Rubinsztajn reactions to obtain cross-linked model phosphazene compounds, containing eugenoxy and guaiacoxy groups. It was shown that Piers-Rubinsztajn reaction cannot be efficiently used to prepare tailored polymer-matrix, due to the catalyst deactivation by nitrogen atoms of phosphazene units. A number of cross-linked phosphazene-based materials was obtained with the use of hydrosilylation reaction and their properties were studied by NMR spectroscopy, FTIR, DSC, and TGA. This work showed a perspective for the use of eugenoxy functional groups for the preparation of three-dimensional hybrid phosphazene/siloxane-based materials for various applications.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), short single-stranded polymers based on DNA or RNA chemistries and synthesized in vitro, regulate gene expression by binding in a sequence-specific manner to an RNA target. The functional activity and selectivity in the action of ASOs largely depends on the combination of nitrogenous bases in a target sequence. This simple and natural property of nucleic acids provides an attractive route by which scientists can create different ASO-based techniques. Over the last 50 years, planned and realized applications in the field of antisense and nucleic acid nanotechnologies have produced astonishing results and posed new challenges for further developments, exemplifying the essence of the post-genomic era. Today the majority of ASOs are chemically modified and/or incorporated within nanoparticles to enhance their stability and cellular uptake. This review critically analyzes some successful cases using the antisense approach in medicine to address severe diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, and suggests some prospective directions for future research. We also examine in detail the elaboration of unmodified insect-specific DNA insecticides and RNA preparations in the areas of agriculture and forestry, a relatively new branch of ASO that allows circumvention of the use of non-selective chemical insecticides. When considering the variety of successful ASO modifications with an efficient signal-to-noise ratio of action, coupled with the affordability of in vitro oligonucleotide synthesis and post-synthesis procedures, we predict that the next half-century will produce a fruitful yield of tools created from effective ASO-based end products.