Several small molecule, molecular glasses are disclosed with new architectures designed for use as photoresists in semiconductor lithography. The disclosed photoresists are low molecular weight organic materials that demonstrate a glass transition temperature significantly above room temperature as well as a low tendency towards crystallization. The molecular glass photoresists have a tetrahedral silane molecular core with four phenyl groups or four biphenyl groups. Each phenyl group or each outer phenyl group of a biphenyl group has a methoxy or hydroxy group at the 3- or 4-position. For the biphenyl embodiments, the linkage may be meta-meta, meta-para, para-para or para-meta.