Novel POSS mono- and dianiline compounds, their synthesis procedures, and applications in host materials for the purposes of property enhancement are described. This class of POSS compounds features completely aromatic peripheries and partial amine functionality for facile and controlled reactive incorporation into a variety of polymers, and further utility may be derived from reactions of the available amine groups with anhydrides such as phenylethynyl phthalic anhydride (PEPA) to form reactive imide-type oligomers for incorporation into high performance thermosetting polymers. Modification of polymer hosts with the subject nanoparticles can result in a variety of property improvements including mechanical, thermal, tribological, electrical, as well as improved moisture resistance.