Dendrimers are monodispersed macromolecules, also known as cascade
molecules, arborols or starburst polymers. The term dendrimers derives from the Greek
language (dendron = tree, meros = part) and exploits two qualities that are frequently
observed in many naturally occurring systems: globular structure and polyvalence.
Herein is presented a conspectus on the field of dendrimers, including preparation and
functionalization methods, as well as detailed examples on several promising
applications with 291 references provided. Some synthetic details on the preparation of
state-of-the-art compounds are given as well.
Keywords: Dendrimers, Drug delivery, Nanocarriers, Nanocatalysts, Starburst
polymers.
