Acid catalyzed insertion of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D-4) into the Si-O bonds of tetrakis(dimethylsiloxy)silane leads to irregular tetra-branched star polymers-tetrakis(omega-dimethylsiloxy)poly(dimethylsiloxy)silane (I). The terminal Si-H bonds of I have been modified by Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation with 4-vinylcyclohexane-1,2-epoxide to yield a tetra-branched star polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) with terminal 2'-ethyl-4-cyclohexanyl-1,2-epoxide groups (II). Solutions of this material and a catalytic amounts of diaryl iodonium hexafluoroantimonate, a photo-acid catalyst, were cast onto glass slides and subsequently irradiated. This results in formation of crosslinked PDMS films (V). The soluble tetra-branched PDMS stars have been characterized by H-1, C-13, and Si-29 NMR as well as by IR spectroscopy. Their molecular weight distributions have been determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS), and end groups analysis. Their viscosities were measured with a Brookfield viscometer. The thermal stability of the polymers and the crosslinked films were determined by TGA. The glass transition temperatures (T-g)s of the polymers were determined by DSC. The loss (G") and storage (G') shear moduli of the films were determined by DMTA. Surface properties of the films were determined by measurement of static contact angles.Similar star polymers, tetrakis(dimethylsiloxy)poly[3',3',3'-trifluoropropylmethylsiloxyl]silanes (III) were prepared by acid catalyzed equilibration of tetrakis(dimethylsiloxy)silane with 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-tris(3',3',3'-trifluoropropyl)cyclotrisiloxanes (D(F)3). These were, likewise, modified by Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation with 4-vinylcyclohexane-1,2-epoxide. Films (VI) of this material were similarly prepared by photo-acid catalyzed crosslinking. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.