The field of molecular electronics includes the study of conjugated oligomers and polymers that have significant potential for use in devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDS), field effect transistors (FETS), and photovoltaic solar cells. These materials may replace inorganic semiconductors in these devices, Achieving better device performance through lowering the band-gap and achieving higher field effect mobilities will benefit from a greater fundamental understanding of charge transfer through the aromatic subunits. π-stacking of segments of conjugated polymers has been identified as a key feature that influences the charge transfer through semiconducting organic materials. Optimizing the molecular architecture of conjugated polymers has the potential to provide materials with better charge mobility. While devices might benefit from materials that take advantage of π-stacking, access to π-stacked structures presents a synthetic challenge. 1,8-Disubstituted naphthalenes may serve as simple covalent bridging scaffolds which might hold conjugated oligomers in a π-stacked arrangement. The research described in this thesis focuses on the synthesis of well-defined phenylene ethynylene oligomers coupled to naphthalene to serve as experimental models of closely π-stacked aromatic units in conjugated polymers. The π-stacked molecules reported in this dissertation are characterized by NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry. The effects of π- stacking on the structure and behavior of conjugated oligomers are determined by X-ray crystallography, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry.

This dissertation focuses on the design and study of charged aromatic molecules where weak π-π interactions synergize with electrostatic interactions to enhance the overall interaction between aromatic moieties. Each chapter investigates some aspect of this hypothetical synergy between electrostatics and π-face aromatic cohesion. The first chapter unveiled the importance of electrostatics in the intramolecular stacking of flexible aromatic molecular templates 1-2Br and 2a. While our previous studies found dicationic molecular template 1-2Br to have intramolecular π-stacking between electron poor pyridinium and electron rich xylylene moieties, no such stacking interaction was observed in the neutral analog 2a. Chapter two systematically explored the stacking pattern of electron poor aromatics in the form of oxygen- and / or nitrogen- substituted triangulenium cations, [1(NR)3]+ and [1(O)3(OH)3]+. As indicated in the chemical literature, triazatriangulenium cations [1(NR)3]+ with N- ethyl (and longer alkyl chains) chains were found to pack as face-to-face dimers. This study found the formation of columnar, face-to-face, n-meric association between aromatic cations in the structures with decreased steric interactions of the side chains in the stacking planes ([1(NMe)3]+ and [1(O)3(OH)3]+). Similar iso-structural triangulene based aromatic anions, (2)- and (3)2- didn’t indicate any facial interactions in the solid states. The possible synergy between unit charge electrostatics and π-face aromatic interactions was explored in aromatic ion pairs 1•2 of triangulene based aromatic cations and aromatic anions. This charge-assisted π-π stacking seems to be the novel way of getting strong π-system interactions where the strongest non-covalent force and the weakest non-covalent force: ionic bonding and π-stacking respectively synergize together. The π-π interaction between ionic aromatics in the solid state was investigated by means of single crystal x-ray diffraction and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD). The interaction in the solution state was examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) and electrochemical studies. Studies found that optimal synergy was possible only in the ion pairs with no steric interactions of alkyl (or aryl) side chains in the stacking planes (1(O)3•2 & 1(NMe)3•2) and the interaction was found to be comparable with the strongest radical-assisted π-stacking described in the chemical literature.

Préalablement, une synthèse de l’aliskiren, un inhibiteur de la rénine développé pour le traitement de l’hypertension, a été réalisée auprès du groupe Hanessian. Durant cette synthèse, une réaction clé de cyclisation par métathèse, menant à la formation de lactone à neuf membres, a été réalisée. Durant cette réaction, nous avons observé une différence de réactivité entre les diastéréomères, menant à la formation de monolactones et de dilactones, générant ainsi de l’intérêt pour l’étude des facteurs en cause. Le présent mémoire rapporte et détaille les résultats de cette analyse quant à la formation de monomères versus celle de dimères par cyclisation à l’aide de catalyseurs de Grubbs et l’impact de différentes conditions réactionnelles et la diastéréochimie relative sur la réaction. Un intérêt pour la formation de liens benzyliques nous a incité à approfondir notre compréhension d’une méthodologie de substitution nucléophile diastéréosélective catalysée par des acides. Le rationnel mit de l’avant par les groupes Bach et Olah a procuré une compréhension du mécanisme réactionnel sur lequel nous avons basé nos observations subséquentes. Nous avons porté notre attention sur l’alkylation d’arènes, de phénols et de sulfonamides. Diverses régiosélectivités et diastéréosélectivités ont pu être observées en présence de substrats dérivés de la synthèse de l’aliskiren, de nitroalcools ainsi que de azidoalcools en utilisant plusieurs acides de Lewis et de Brønsted. / Previously, a synthesis of aliskiren, a renin inhibitor developed for the treatment of hypertension, was developed in the Hanessian group. As part of that synthesis, they used a ring-closing metathesis which led to the formation of a nine-membered lactone, a key intermediate of the synthesis. During the reaction, we observed a difference in reactivity between the various diastereoisomers leading to the formation of mono- and dilactones, inciting us to study the various factors involved. The present master’s thesis reports and details the results of the study of monomers versus dimers formation by cyclization using Grubbs’s catalysts and the effect of various reaction conditions and relative configuration on the reaction. An interest for the formation of benzylic bonds drove us to deepen our comprehension of a methodology of diastereselective nucleophilic substitution catalysed by acids. The rational brought forth by the Bach and Olah groups served as a basis for our understanding of the mechanism involved upon which we based our following observations. We focused our attention on the alkylation of arenes, phenols and sulfonamides. Various regioselectivities and diastereoselectivities were observed on substrates derived from the aliskiren’s synthesis, nitroaocohols and azidoalcohols while using various Lewis and Brønsted acids.