Dendrimers offer unique opportunities for diverse functionalization, yet most architectures remain restricted to peripheral modification because installing functional groups into interior generations is synthetically challenging. Existing approaches o...
Dendrimers offer unique opportunities for diverse functionalization, yet most architectures remain restricted to peripheral modification because installing functional groups into interior generations is synthetically challenging. Existing approaches often depend on orthogonal monomers, harsh conditions, or structurally rigid scaffolds, limiting access to chemically distinct generations. Here, we report generation-specific functionalization that enables simultaneous generation growth and functional group installation within a single reaction manifold. Using an AB2 monomer bearing an acetal-protected aldehyde and two carboxylic acids, the Passerini three-component reaction promotes generational expansion while introducing functional groups in a deterministic manner dictated by the isocyanide. Iterative coupling between the monomer and generation-derived aldehydes produced an ABA-type dendron through simple alternation of small isocyanides. This platform was further expanded to an ABC-type dendron by incorporating a bulky, hydrophilic PEG-functionalized isocyanide, demonstrating broad functional group tolerance and topological generality. Across all generations, the dendrons displayed predictable mass amplification, monodisperse molecular profiles, and high structural fidelity, underscoring the robustness of this convergent growth strategy. Overall, this work demonstrates that the Passerini reaction enables a modular in situ functionalization for the construction of generation-specific functionalized dendrons with user-defined functional sequences, providing a useful basis for the development of dendritic macromolecules with tailored architectures and properties.