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In the past decade, the field of NMR spectroscopy has seen the emergence of ever more powerful superconducting magnets, which has opened the door for the observation of many traditionally challenging or non-receptive nuclei. In this dissertation, a variety of ionic solids with organic coordination environments are investigated using quadrupolar solid-state NMR experiments with an ultrahigh-field magnet (21.1 T). Two general research directions are presented including a 79/81Br solid-state NMR study of a series of 6 triphenylphosphonium bromides for which single-crystal X-ray structures are reported herein. A second research direction is also presented wherein alkaline-earth metal (25Mg, 43Ca, and 87Sr) solid-state NMR is used to characterize a systematic series of 16 aryl and alkyl carboxylates. In both studies, the quadrupolar nuclei studied are deemed “exotic” due to their unreceptive nature to NMR spectroscopic analysis including low natural abundances, large quadrupole moments, or low resonance frequencies. A variety of coordination modes to alkaline-earth metals, including N-atom coordination, are characterized herein for the first time using alkaline-earth metal solid-state NMR. In all cases, the electric field gradient (EFG) and chemical shift (CS) tensors are characterized and correlated to structural features such as interatomic distances measured from the crystal structure of the compound under study. In all of the projects undertaken herein, the gauge-including projector-augmented-wave density functional theory (GIPAW DFT) method is used, which allows for the prediction and rationalization of the experimental EFG and CS tensor parameters based on the input crystal structure. In the case of 43Ca solid-state NMR experiments reported in this dissertation, a linear correlation between the calculated and experimental 43Ca quadrupolar coupling constants, CQ, is used as a calibration curve for GIPAW DFT calculations performed on the 18 structural models currently available for the vaterite polymorph of CaCO3. Vaterite cannot be fully characterized by X-ray diffraction alone; therefore an NMR crystallography protocol is used in order to identify the model that best accounts for 43Ca solid-state NMR experiments performed on vaterite. It is expected that the conclusions from this dissertation can be used for future studies involving structural refinement and elucidation of solid materials containing challenging quadrupolar nuclei.

We may summarize the purposes of this investigation as follows: A report on this investigation was made to Dr. John H. Yoe of the University of Virginia in order to see what reactions he considered to be of analytical significance and should be further investigated. He considers only three to be of any practical importance. They are as follows: 1. 7A-Oleic Acid. Solubility of the alkaline earth salts of some higher fatty acids. 2. 69A- 2-Acetamino 6-Aminobenzo Thiazole. A colorimetric reagent for iridium. 3. 71A 2-Hydroxy 3-Nitro 5-Sulfobenzoic Acid. A colorimetric reagent for ferric iron. A further investigation of compound 71A, as a colorimetric reagent for ferric iron, reveals that the sensitivity of this reaction is not great enough for it to be of any practical importance, since we have reagents (2) for this ion that are several times more sensitive. Prospective reagent No. 69A for iridium is being further investigated by Mr. J. R. Noell (1). A report on 7A will be taken up in Part II of this thesis. 1. It has been shown that there is very little difference in the solubility of the same alkaline earth salt of stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids in the solvents, water, benzene, absolute ethyl alcohol and ether. 2. It has been shown that there is very little difference in the solubility of the different alkaline earth salt of stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids in the solvents, water, benzene, absolute ethyl alcohol and ether, and benzene. 3. The solubility of the alkaline earth salt of these acids increases slightly with unsaturation, but does not increase as the degree of unsaturation increases. / M.S.

Nine beryllium deposits were studied in order to determine the geological environment of beryllium mineralization in southern Arizona. Beryllium occurs in two pegmatite areas, two contact metamorphic deposits, two quartz-tungsten veins, two quartz-feldspar veins, and in one quartz monzonite stock. It is associated in almost all of these deposits with purple fluorite and tungsten. Beryllium mineralization is associated with granitic and quartz monzonite intrusions of Laramide age, and generally occurs at the intersection of northwest-trending lineaments and the Texas lineament.

A comprehensive investigation was reported into the synthesis, characterization and photoluminescence properties of calcium metaniobates and associated alkali earth alloy systems. Previous studies have shown that calcium metaniobate exhibits a strong self-activated blue luminescence at room temperature in stark contrast to the pyroniobates which are known to exhibit a temperature dependent luminescence that quenches above 100 K. The mechanism of this behavior has been studied by measuring the spectral characteristics of the photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra on the crystalline and morphological properties of the powders as determined from x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. By correlating the synthesis parameters with the physical, chemical and optical properties of calcium metaniobate, the optimum conditions for efficient blue-visible emission and chemical stability under vacuum ultraviolate (VUV) radiation has been determined. These materials have the potential to replace Barium Magnesium Aluminate, which is currently used as the blue phosphor in plasma displays.

Oxides of ABO3 composition (A = alkali, alkaline earth or rare earth metal in general, B = transition metal) constitute a large family of metal oxides of current interest to solid state and materials chemistry. Among the several structure types exhibited by ABO3 oxides (ilmenite, LiNbO3, perovskite, YAIO3/YMnO3, KSbO3, pyrochlore, among others), the perovskite structure is probably the most well known and widely investigated. The ideal perovskite structure consists of a three-dimensional (3D) framework of corner-sharing BO6 octahedra in which the A cation resides in the dodecahedral site surrounded by twelve oxide ions. The ideal cubic structure occurs when the Gold Schmidt’s tolerance factor, t = (rA + ro)/{V2 (rB + ro)}, adopts a value of unity and the A-O and B-O bond distances are perfectly matched. The flexibility of the perovskite structure towards a wide variety of substitutions at both A and B sites gives rise to a very large number (several hundreds) of perovskite derivatives with subtle variations in structure. The perovskite structure can also tolerate vacancies at both the A and O sites giving ordered superstructures. Members of y4BO3 oxides have numerous properties that find technological application, such as nonlinear optical response (LiNbO3), Ferro electricity (BaTiO3), piezoelectricity (PbZn_xTixO3), magneto ferroelectricity (YMnO3), superconductivity (Bai_xKxBi03)5 colossal magnetoresistance (La^xCaxMnO3) and ionic conductivity [(Lil_a)TiO3] Ordering of cations at the A and B sites of the perovskite structure is an important phenomenon. Ordering of B site cations in double (/42BB'O6) and multiple (/43BB'2Og) perovskites gives rise to newer and interesting materials properties For example, 1*1 ordered Sr2FeMoO6 and Sr2FeReO6 are half-metallic ferrimagnets; Pb3MgNb2O9 is a relaxor ferroelectric; Ba3ZnTa2O9 is a low loss dielectric used in telecommunication and, last but not least, Ba3CoNb2O9 is a visible light driven photocatalyst. Realization of these properties in these materials depends crucially on the ordering/or otherwise of the B site cat ions in the perovskite structure. Furthermore, ordering of not only the metal atoms but also the oxygen/oxygen vacancies in the perovskite structure is equally important for the occurrence of superconductivity in the cuprate superconductor, YBa2Cu3O7. The ideal perovskite structure gives way to hexagonal YMnO3/YAIO3 structure for smaller A cations (tolerance factor, t < 1). Oxides of this structure are attracting current attention for the realization of multiple magnetoferroic properties. On the other hand, for larger A cations (tolerance factor, t > 1), various perovskite polytypic structures are formed. For example, BaNiO3 forms a 2H polytypic structure, SrMnO3 and BaRuO3 adopts a 4H and 9R structures respectively, where the SO6 octahedra share faces or faces and corners. Besides the foregoing 3D perovskites, a number of layered variants of the perovskite structure are also known. The most common layered perovskites are the Aurivillius phases, (Bi2O2)[A»-iBnO3n+iL the Ruddlesden-Popper phases, /4'2|7ln_iBnO3n+1], and the Dion-Jacobson phases, A[An^BnOzn+-\]' The two-dimensional (2D) perovskite unit, [^n-iBnOsn+i], which could be visualized as formed by slicing the 3D perovskite structure along <001>p is common for all the three layered perovskite series. The perovskite slabs are stacked alternately with various charge-balancing units, for example, with [Bi2O2]2+ in the Aurivillius phases and two alkali/alkaline earth cations (A+JA2+) in the Ruddlesden-Popper phases etc. Members of the layered perovskites are also important from the point of view of materials properties. For example, 2D magnetism (K2NiF4), superconductivity (La2-xSrxCuO4), ion exchange, Bronsted acidity, intercalation, exfoliation (K2La2Ti3Oio and CsCa2Nb3O10), photo catalysis (Rb2La2Ti30io) are some of the important materials properties found in layered perovskites. The high Tc-superconductors, Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+XJ TI2Ba2Ca2Cu3Oi0, TIBa2Ca2Cu3O9 and HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+x, also belong to the family of layered perovskites where the defective perovskite cuprate sheets are interleaved by other 2D entities like (Bi2O2), (TI2O2), (TIO) or (HgOx). In addition, Aurivillius phases, such as Bi2SrTa209 and Bi325Lao75Ti3Oi2, in thin film geometry are candidate materials for non-volatile ferroelectric memory devices. Synthesis plays a key role in realizing new structures and materials properties for ABO3 oxides. The conventional synthetic methods (ceramic method) involve mixing and heating of solid reactants at elevated temperatures. Although this approach continues to be employed to synthesize new materials, it is often limited by the fact that it yields thermodynamically stable phases. Since many of the perovskite oxides showing useful materials properties are metastable in nature and are required in the form of fine particles (free-standing / monodisperse / submicron or nanometer dimensions) for application, the ceramic methods are of no avail for this purpose. Therefore, materials chemists constantly endeavor to develop alternate synthetic routes that enable them to synthesize novel oxides under mild conditions. Typical examples of metastable perovskites are: the super conducting cuprates (e.g. TlosPbosS^CaC^Og) and perovskite based lithium ion conductors (La2/3-xLi3XDi/3-2xTiO3). Also the control of oxidation states in double perovskites, such as Sr2FeMoO6 and Sr2FeRe06 and pyrochlores such as Pb2MnReC>6, cannot be achieved by conventional means. Therefore, the synthesis of such metastable phases requires special synthetic strategies that involve soft chemistry (chimie douce) methods where mild reactions/reaction conditions are employed to access metastable phases. The present thesis is mainly devoted to an investigation of perovskite related oxides towards developing new synthetic strategies and materials as well as exploring hydrogen insertion - a novel materials property - in certain members of this family. Solid-state metathesis (SSM) reactions provide a convenient route for the synthesis of a wide variety of non-oxide ceramic materials such as, bondes, carbides, silicides, pnictides and chalcogenides. A typical metathesis reaction, for example, M0CI5 + 5/2 Na2S -» MoS2 + 5 NaCI + 1/2 S (1) involves exchange of atoms/ions between the reactants and is accompanied by a large enthalpy change (AHm = - 890 kJ mol"1) and high adiabatic reaction temperature (Tm = 1413 °C). The reactions are often self-propagating and believed to be driven by the formation of stable salt byproducts such as alkali halides with high lattice energy. In our laboratory we have developed a different kind of metathesis reaction for the synthesis of perovskite related oxides, a typical example being, K2La2Ti30io + 2 BiOCI -* [Bi2O2]La2Ti3O10 + 2 KCI. A major difference between metathesis reactions (1) and (2) is that unlike (1), reaction (2) is not self-propagating, requiring longer duration. In this study, we have investigated metathesis reactions of the second kind at some length for the synthesis of perovskite related oxides. We found that rocksalt oxides such as UMO2 (M = Mn, Co) and Li2TiO3 constitute convenient precursors for the formation of v4BO3 perovskite oxides in metathesis reactions with appropriate reaction partners such as halides, oxyhalides or sulphates, LiCoO2 + LaOCl -» LaCoO3 + LiCt (3) LiMnO2 + LaOCl + x/2 O2 -> LaMnO3+x + LiCI (4) Li2TiO3 + PbSO4 -» PbTiO3 + Li2SO4. (5) We could synthesize not only well known ABO3 oxides but also functional perovskites such as PbZr0 4sTio 52O3 (PZT), La2/3Cai/3MnO3 as well as superconducting BaPbo75Bio2s03 by this method. We could also synthesize La2CuO4 and its superconducting analogues, La185^oi5Cu04 (A = Sr, Ba), by the same method using Li2CuO2 and LaOCl. For the synthesis of double perovskites A2BB%OQ by this method however, appropriate lithium containing rocksalt precursor oxides are not known in the literature. Therefore, we first synthesized rocksalt precursor oxides of the general formula Li4MWO6 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni) and established their identity. Using these precursor oxides, we could synthesize the double perovskite oxides Sr2MWO6 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni) in the metathesis reaction Li4MWO6 + 2 SrCI2 -» Sr2MWO6 + 4 LiC Significantly, the double perovskites are formed with an ordered structure at relatively low temperatures (750 - 800 °C) as compared to the high temperatures (up to 1400 °C) usually employed for the synthesis of these materials by conventional ceramic approach. Next, we investigated ABO$ compositions corresponding to the formula for 6 = Cu and Ni, where we could obtain a YAIO3 superstructure consisting of triangular Cu clusters for 6 = Cu, whereas a perovskite phase for B = Ni. Moreover, the Cu-phase appears to be a unique line phase formed around LasCi^VOg composition, whereas a continuous series of GdFeO3-like perovskite oxides are formed for LaNii»xVxO3 (0 < x < 1/3)forS = Ni. Considering the current interest in bringing different transition metal ions (d°/dn electronic configuration) in the same perovskite related structure towards developing multiferroic materials, we investigated the substitution of aliovalent cations in a typical Aurivillius phase, Bi2Sr2Nb2TiOi2. We have characterized new aliovalent cation substituted Aurivillius phases, Bi2SrNaNb2TaOi2, Bi2Sr2Nb2Zr012J Bi2Sr2Nb2 5Feo50i2 and Bi2Sr2Nb2 ezZno 33O12. Lastly, we investigated the interaction of hydrogen with perovskite oxides, /\MnO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) in an attempt to characterize possible existence of hydrogen-inserted oxide materials. An oxide-hydride of the formula LaSrCoO3H07 has recently been reported in the literature. Conventionally, the interaction of hydrogen with perovskite related oxides is known to result in either anion deficient phases (e.g. CaMnO3 -> Ca2Mn205), or hydrogen inserted materials, 'hydrogen bronzes', (e. g. HXWO3, HxBaRuO3), where hydrogen acts as an electron donor (H -^ H+ + e). We have characterized a new mode of hydrogen incorporation in Pt dispersed BaMnO3 and SrMnO3. Detailed investigation of the hydrogen sorption behaviour of 1 atom % Pt dispersed materials showed that about 1.25 mass % of hydrogen is inserted per mole of BaMnO3/Pt, corresponding to an insertion of - 3 hydrogen atoms giving 'BaMnOsHs'. While the exact nature of inserted hydrogen is yet to be established unambiguously, our results suggest that the inserted hydrogen is unlikely to be protonic (H+) in the hydrogen insertion product, BaMnO3H3. The results of these investigations are presented in the thesis consisting of seven chapters. Chapter 1 gives an overview of perovskite related oxides - structure, properties and synthesis. Chapter 2 presents metathesis as a general route for the synthesis of ABO3 oxides and illustrates the method by transforming several rocksalt oxides such as LiCoO2, Li2Mn03 and Li2Ti03 to corresponding ABO3 oxides, LaCoO3, /\MnO3 and ATiO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba). Uniformly in all the cases, the perovskite oxides are obtained in the form of loosely connected submicron sized particles at considerably lower temperatures than those usually employed for their synthesis by ceramic methods. Thermodynamic calculations have also been carried out to probe into the driving force of metathesis reactions involved in the synthesis. Chapter 3 describes an extension of the metathesis route for the synthesis of double perovskites, Sr2MWO6 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni). For this purpose, first we synthesized new rocksalt oxides of the general formula, Li4MWO6 (M = Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni). The oxides adopt rocksalt superstructures related to Li4MgReO6 (for M = Mg, Mn, Ni) and U4WO5 (for M = Fe). Metathesis reaction between Li4MWO6 and SrCi2 at 750 - 800 °C yields the corresponding double perovskites where the octahedral site M and W are ordered in the long range. Formation of ordered perovskite oxides at relatively low temperatures (750 - 800 °C) by the metathesis route is a significant result, considering that synthesis of these oxides by conventional ceramic method requires much higher temperatures (1300 - 1400 °C) and prolonged annealing. Synthesis of La2CuO4, Nd2CuO4 and super conducting La-j 85>4oi5Cu04 (A = Sr, Ba) by the metathesis route is described in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 deals with synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of mixed-metal oxides of ABO3 composition in the La-6-V-O (6 = Ni, Cu) systems. While the B = Ni oxides adopt GdFeO3-like perovskite structure containing disordered nickel and vanadium at the octahedral B site, La3Cu2VO9 crystallizes in a YAIO3-type structure. A detailed investigation of the superstructure of nominal La3Cu2VO9 by WDS analysis and Rietveld refinement of powder XRD data reveals that the likely composition of the phase is Lai3Cu9V4O38 5, where the Cu and V atoms are ordered in a Vi3ah (ah = hexagonal a parameter of YAlCMike subcell) superstructure. Magnetic susceptibility data support the proposed superstructure consisting of triangular Cu3 clusters. The present work reveals the contrasting behaviour of La-Cu-V-O and La-Ni-V-0 systems, while a unique line-phase related to YAIO3 structure is formed around La3Cu2VO9 composition in the copper system, a continuous series of perovskite-GdFeO3 solid solutions, LaNi1.0CVxO3 for 0 < x < 1/3 seems to obtain in the nickel system. The chapter also describes the formation of a new transparent Cu(l) oxide, Lai4V6CuO365, and its characterization. This oxide was obtained during attempts to grow single crystals of LasC^VOg. Single crystal structure determination of Lai4V6CuO36 5 showed that the structure contains isolated VO43" tetrahedra and [OCuO]3" sticks dispersed in a lanthanum oxide network. Films of Lai4V6CuO36 5 were grown on R-plane sapphire by using pulsed laser deposition. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction analyses of the films showed oriented growth of the title phase, with an optical band gap of -~ 5 eV and n-type conductivity Chapter 6 presents the work on the flexibility of the Aurivillius structures for substitution of aliovalent/isovalent cations at both A and 6 sites of the perovskite slabs. For example, in a typical n = 3 member, Bi2Sr2Nb2TiOi2, substitution of both Sr and Na at the A site and Ta at the B site has enabled us to synthesize a new n = 3 member, Bi2SrNaNb2Ta0i2, where we see a preference of Nb for the terminal octahedral sheets. Similarly, aliovalent substitution only at the B site of the perovskite slabs of Bi2Sr2Nb2TiOi2 has yielded new members for specific compositions, Bi2Sr2Nb2ZrOi2, Bi2Sr2Nb2 5Feo50i2 and Bi2Sr2Nb2 67Zno33012 that tend to be oxygen-stoichiometric. The latter phases again show a preference of Nb for the terminal octahedral sites that are strongly distorted as compared to the middle octahedral site. This chapter also describes substitution of La3+ for Bi3+ in the perovskite slabs of Bi4Nb30i5 stabilizing a new series of n = 1/ n = 2 intergrowth Aurivillius phases of the formulas, Bi4LnNb3Oi5 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd) and Bi4LaTa30i5. The present work suggests that replacement of Bi3+: 6s2 lone pair ion by non-6s2 cations such as Sr2"* and La3+ in the perovskite slabs of Aurivillius phases tends to render the structure Centro symmetric and the materials lose NLOSHG response. Chapter 7 describes our investigation of the interaction of hydrogen with alkaline earth manganites (IV) >AMnO3 (>A = Ca, Sr, Ba) dispersed with 1 atom % Pt. The result shows an unprecedented uptake of hydrogen by BaMnO3/Pt to the extent of - 1.25 mass % at moderate temperatures (190 - 260 °C) and ambient pressure. Gravimetric sorption isotherms and mass spectrometric analysis of the desorption products indicate that approximately three hydrogen atoms per mole of BaMnCVPt is inserted reversibly. The nature of hydrogen in the insertion product, BaMnO3H3, is discussed in the light of the structure of BaMnC>3. The work presented in the thesis is carried out by the candidate as a part of the Ph. D. training programme and most of it has been published in the literature. He hopes that the studies reported here will constitute a worthwhile contribution to the materials chemistry of ABO3 oxides in general.

Parmi les défis que le Monde devra affronter dans les prochaines décennies, le plus difficile est l’utilisation d’énergie durable. Dans un scénario où les sociétés occidentales sont fortement dépendantes des combustibles fossiles pour garder leur niveau de bien-être (chauffage domestique, transport et production d’électricité), complété par les pays en voie de développement qui ont besoin d’alimenter leurs économies croissantes, il est nécessaire de souligner l’impact négatif sur l’environnement causé par l’utilisation de ces ressources fossiles mais aussi les problèmes géopolitiques pour les pays « non producteurs ». La collecte d’énergie provenant des sources renouvelables peut limiter la dépendance des combustibles fossiles, pourtant cette dernière ne peut remplacer les centrales électriques classiques à cause de son caractère intermittent.Les batteries sont des dispositifs qui peuvent résoudre définitivement cette limitation, puisqu’elles sont capables d’accumuler l’excès d’énergie produit afin de le délivrer au moment souhaité. De plus elles ont été envisagées comme les dispositifs principaux pour toutes les applications portables (téléphones et ordinateurs portables mais aussi véhicules). Grâces à ses excellentes performances et sa technologie bien développée, les batteries lithium-ion ont un rôle déterminant dans le support de cette nouvelle révolution énergétique. Pourtant leur usage répandu a été récemment remis en question à cause de la faible disponibilité de lithium, qui est un élément rare et concentré seulement dans certaines zones du monde. L’emploie du lithium pourrait donc engendrer les mêmes problèmes que les combustibles fossiles. De plus, cette technologie semble avoir atteint son niveau de développement maximal et ne pourrait plus être suffisante pour satisfaire des applications de plus en plus énergivores. Il est donc nécessaire d’envisager des alternatives au lithium en axant les recherches sur des ressources plus abondantes que lithium et à moindre coût mais aussi sur des systèmes plus performantes.Les batteries post-lithium, qui sont basées sur d’autres porteur de charges que le Li+, pourrait représenter des alternatives plus sécurisées, respectueuse de l'environnement et aussi plus attractifs en termes de capacité stockée. Le magnésium est un candidat prometteur pouvant remplacer le lithium dans les systèmes électrochimiques de stockage d’énergie, grâce à son abondance, son faible coût et sa capacité volumique qui est doublée par rapport à cette du lithium. Cependant, l’obstacle le plus important au développement des batteries rechargeable au magnésium est la mauvaise compatibilité entre les électrolytes classiques et le magnésium métal. Dans cette optique il est encore nécessaire d’utiliser des mélanges de sel/solvant extrêmement dangereux dans les prototypes proposés. En revanche, la recherche de possible alternatives au magnésium métal, c.-à-d. des matériaux capable de réagir à bas potentiel avec le Mg, permettrait de réaliser une véritable batterie aux ions de magnésium (MIB), compatible avec des formulations d’électrolyte classiques.Cette thèse est dédiée à l’investigation des comportements électrochimiques de plusieurs éléments du bloc p (In, Sn, Sb, Bi) qui peuvent s’allier réversiblement avec le Mg à bas potentiel. Des possibles synergies entre ces éléments ont été aussi explorées (composite Sn-Bi, phases intermétalliques BixSb1-x et InBi) qui puissent être employés comme électrodes négatives pour MIBs. Des poudres micrométriques ont été obtenues par broyage/alliage mécanique, technique de synthèse simple à mettre en œuvre. Une attention particulière a été portée à l’étude des mécanismes électrochimiques d’alliage et/ou conversion avec la diffraction des rayons X en mode operando. L’évaluation des performances électrochimiques a permis de sélectionner le meilleur candidat pour être testé comme électrode négative dans un prototype de batterie magnésium-ion. / One of the most challenging hurdles that the World has to face in the next decades is the sustainable use of energy. In a scenario where western societies are largely dependent of the fossil fuels for maintaining their wellness, i.e. for heating, automotive transportation and electricity production, and developing countries need to feed their growing economies, it is worth underlying both the major impact on the environment due to the indiscriminate use of such combustibles but also the geopolitical issues for the non-producing countries. Energy harvesting by renewable sources can help limiting the dependence on fossil fuel exploitation but cannot perfectly replace conventional power plant due to its intrinsic intermittency.Batteries are the devices that can draw a line under this situation, since they can stock the energy surplus when the plant is operating and then can squeeze it in the power grid when there is a lack of production. Moreover, they are also targeted to fulfil the even growing demand of energy for portable applications (mobile phones and computers, and nowadays cars and trucks). The excellent performance and the well-established technology of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) put them in a crucial position for supporting this new energy revolution. However their ubiquitous role has been recently questioned for two main reasons: i) of the low availability of Li, which is a rare and not-uniformly spread element that may lead to the similar problems caused by fossil fuels. And ii) the effective capacity to satisfy the highly energy-demanding applications, since Li-ion technology seems reaching is upper limit in terms of overall performance. Therefore cheaper and more powerful alternative to Li-based systems are needed.Post-Lithium-based batteries, based on other charge carriers than Li+ can be offer safer, more sustainable and performing alternative to LIBs. Mg is a promising candidate that can replace Li in electrochemical systems due to its abundance, low cost and a theoretical volume capacity twice higher than that of Li. Although the efforts devoted to the realization of a rechargeable Mg battery were made in the last 15 years, the major hurdle represented by the low compatibility between metallic Mg and conventional electrolytes still obliges the use of hazardous salt/solvent mixtures in research prototypes. Searching alternative negative electrodes to the Mg metal, i.e. compounds able to reversibly react with Mg at low potential, will pave the way for a veritable Magnesium-ion battery (MIB), allowing the use of conventional electrolytes.The present thesis is devoted to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of several p-block elements that can reversibly alloy with Mg at low potential (In, Sn, Sb, Bi). Possible synergies between these elements are also explored, realizing composite materials (Sn-Bi), or intermetallic phases (BixSb1-x and InBi) that could be employed as negative electrodes in MIBs. The chosen synthetic route for obtaining micrometric-sized particles is the mechanical milling/alloying, since it is simple, cost-effective and upscalable. Particular attention is put on the study of electrochemical mechanisms through the operando X-ray diffraction. Electrochemical performance evaluation allows selecting the best candidate for an effective test as negative electrode in MIB prototype.

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L'addition catalysée des amines ou phosphines sur des substrats insaturés (alcènes, alcynes ou allènes) constitue une méthode efficace pour la production d’amines et phosphines à hautes valeurs ajoutées. Pour ces réactions, les complexes hétéroleptiques des métaux alcalino-terreux ont émergé comme des précatalyseurs effi caces. Cette thèse décrit la synthèse de complexes des alcalino-terreux supportés par des ligands aminoalcoolates fluorés de type [{RO}AeN(SiMe2H)2] ({RO} = aminoalcoolate fluoré; Ae = Ca, Sr). Des études par diffraction de rayons X montrent que ces complexes utilisent des interactions Ae···F–C and β-Si–H···Ae pour être cinétiquement inertes. Étonnamment, la somme de ces interactions non-covalentes dites secondaires est prédominante par rapport à la coordination d'éthers sur le centre métallique. En outre, les ligands aminoalcoolates fluorés ont été utilisés pour préparer de rares exemples de complexes Ae hétéroleptiques impliquant la coordination intramoléculaire de donneurs d'électrons π (i.e. alcènes et alcynes). Ainsi, pour la première fois, des complexes Ae stabilisés par des combinaisons d’interactions Ae···Cπ, Ae···F−C et β-Si−H···Ae ont été synthétisés. La nature de ces interactions a été sondée par des moyens spectroscopiques, cristallographiques et calculatoires (DFT). En revanche, nos efforts pour obtenir des complexes Ca–aryles ont conduit à la formation de complexes trinucléaires originaux présentant des interactions secondaires β-Si-H···Ca extrêmement fortes. Certains de ces complexes de calcium ont ensuite été testés en catalyse d’hydrophosphination du styrène avec la diphénylphosphine. Ils ont démontré des activités remarquables (TOF ≈ 50 h−1) en conditions douces, ainsi qu’une régiosélectivité de 100% vers la formation du produit d'addition anti-Markovnikov. En collaboration avec le Pr. M. Etienne et le Dr C. Dinoi du Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (Toulouse), un précatalyseur hétéroleptique de calcium supporté par un ligand tris(indazolyl)borate fluoré a été utilisé pour l’hydroamination intramoléculaire du 2,2-diméthylpent-4-en-1-amine, et a fait preuve d’une activité catalytique parmi les plus élevées à ce jour. / The catalysed additions of amines or phosphines across unsaturated substrates (alkenes, alkynes or allenes) constitute atom-efficient routes for the production of valuable fine chemicals such as amines and phosphines. For these reactions, heteroleptic alkaline-earth complexes have emerged as promising precatalysts. This PhD thesis describes the synthesis and characterisation of a series of alkaline-earth complexes of type [{RO}AeN(SiMe2H)2] supported by fluorinated aminoalkoxides ({RO} = fluorinated aminoalkoxide; Ae = Ca, Sr ). X-ray diffraction studies show that these complexes heavily involve Ae···F–C and β-Si–H···Ae secondary interactions to achieve kinetic stabilisation. Remarkably, these so-called secondary, non-covalent interactions can be more beneficial towards the stabilisation of the metallic species than the coordination of ethers onto the metal centre. Furthermore, fluorinated aminoalkoxo ligands were used to prepare rare examples of Ae heteroleptic complexes featuring intramolecular coordination from π donors (i.e. alkenes and alkynes). For the first time, Ae complexes stabilised by a combination of Ae···Cπ, Ae···F–C and β-Si–H···Ae interactions were described. The structural and electronic features of these unique complexes were probed by crystallographic, spectroscopic and computational (DFT) methods. The utilisation of aryl-containing ligands resulted in the formation of trinuclear complexes featuring a unique pattern of strong β-Si–H···Ca agostic interactions. Some of these calcium heteroleptic complexes were tested in the hydrophosphination of styrene and HPPh2. They displayed high activities (TOF ≈ 50 h–1) under mild conditions with 100% regioselectivity towards the anti-Markovnikov addition product. In a collaboration with Prof. M. Etienne and Dr. C. Dinoi from the Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (Toulouse), a heteroleptic calcium complex supported by a fluorinated tris(indazolyl)borate was used in the intramolecular hydroamination of 2,2-dimethylpent-4-en-1-amine, and it displayed excellent performances.