The present research involves two projects: a surface science study of the room-temperature adsorption and thermal evolution of allylamine and ethanolamine on Si(100)2×1, studied by using temperature-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS), as well as Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations; and a materials science study on the shape control of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) deposited on H-terminated Si(100) substrate with an extended size regime of 5-400 nm, by using a simple, one-step electrochemical method. The Cu NPs of three primary shapes were characterized with scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and XPS. In the first surface science study, the presence of broad N 1s XPS features at 398.9-399.1 eV, corresponding to N–Si bonds, indicates N–H dissociative adsorption for both allylamine and ethanolamine on Si(100)2×1. For allylamine, the presence of C 1s features at 284.6 eV and 286.2 eV, corresponding to C=C and C−N, respectively, and the absence of the Si−C feature expected at 283.5 eV show that the reactions involving the ethenyl group such as the [2+2] C=C cycloaddition or those producing the [N, C, C] tridentate adstructures do not occur at room temperature. For ethanolamine, the O 1s feature at 533.1 eV indicates the formation of Si−O bond and O−H dissociation, which confirms an [O, N] bidentate adstructure and excludes the N−H and O−H dissociation unidentate structures. These XPS data are consistent with the N−H unidentate, and N−H and O−H double dissociation [O, N] bidentate adstructures for allylamine and ethanolamine, respectively, as predicted by the DFT calculations. TDS and temperature-dependent XPS data further show the desorption of propene and ethylene at 580 K and of acetylene at 700 K for allylamine and the desorption of ethylene at 615 K for ethanolamine, while the lack of N- or O-containing desorbates suggests that the dissociated N and O species are likely bonded to multiple surface Si atoms or diffused into the bulk at elevated temperatures (as confirmed by the corresponding temperature-dependent XPS spectra). Unlike the multidentate allyl alcohol and allylamine adstructures that have been found to be not favored kinetically, the present [O, N] bidentate ethanolamine adstructure appears to be kinetically favored on Si(100)2×1. In the second materials science study, Cu NPs of three primary shapes have been deposited on H-terminated Si(100) by a simple, one-step electrochemical method. By precisely manipulating the electrolyte concentration [CuSO4.5H2O] below their respective critical values, cubic, cuboctahedral, and octahedral Cu NPs of ranges of average sizes and number densities can be easily obtained by varying the deposition time. Combined GIXRD and depth-profiling XPS studies show that these Cu NPs have a crystalline core-shell structure, with a face-centered cubic metallic Cu core and a simple cubic Cu2O shell with a CuO outerlayer. The shape control of Cu NPs can be understood in terms of a progressive growth model under different kinetic conditions as dictated by different [CuSO4.5H2O] concentration regimes. The two studies in the present work lay the foundation for future investigation of surface biofunctionalization of these fascinating Cu NPs with different shapes and therefore different surface chemistries as controlled by the relative amounts of the (100) and (111) facets, and their boundaries.

The present research involves two projects: a surface science study of the room-temperature adsorption and thermal evolution of allylamine and ethanolamine on Si(100)2×1, studied by using temperature-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS), as well as Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations; and a materials science study on the shape control of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) deposited on H-terminated Si(100) substrate with an extended size regime of 5-400 nm, by using a simple, one-step electrochemical method. The Cu NPs of three primary shapes were characterized with scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and XPS. In the first surface science study, the presence of broad N 1s XPS features at 398.9-399.1 eV, corresponding to N–Si bonds, indicates N–H dissociative adsorption for both allylamine and ethanolamine on Si(100)2×1. For allylamine, the presence of C 1s features at 284.6 eV and 286.2 eV, corresponding to C=C and C−N, respectively, and the absence of the Si−C feature expected at 283.5 eV show that the reactions involving the ethenyl group such as the [2+2] C=C cycloaddition or those producing the [N, C, C] tridentate adstructures do not occur at room temperature. For ethanolamine, the O 1s feature at 533.1 eV indicates the formation of Si−O bond and O−H dissociation, which confirms an [O, N] bidentate adstructure and excludes the N−H and O−H dissociation unidentate structures. These XPS data are consistent with the N−H unidentate, and N−H and O−H double dissociation [O, N] bidentate adstructures for allylamine and ethanolamine, respectively, as predicted by the DFT calculations. TDS and temperature-dependent XPS data further show the desorption of propene and ethylene at 580 K and of acetylene at 700 K for allylamine and the desorption of ethylene at 615 K for ethanolamine, while the lack of N- or O-containing desorbates suggests that the dissociated N and O species are likely bonded to multiple surface Si atoms or diffused into the bulk at elevated temperatures (as confirmed by the corresponding temperature-dependent XPS spectra). Unlike the multidentate allyl alcohol and allylamine adstructures that have been found to be not favored kinetically, the present [O, N] bidentate ethanolamine adstructure appears to be kinetically favored on Si(100)2×1. In the second materials science study, Cu NPs of three primary shapes have been deposited on H-terminated Si(100) by a simple, one-step electrochemical method. By precisely manipulating the electrolyte concentration [CuSO4.5H2O] below their respective critical values, cubic, cuboctahedral, and octahedral Cu NPs of ranges of average sizes and number densities can be easily obtained by varying the deposition time. Combined GIXRD and depth-profiling XPS studies show that these Cu NPs have a crystalline core-shell structure, with a face-centered cubic metallic Cu core and a simple cubic Cu2O shell with a CuO outerlayer. The shape control of Cu NPs can be understood in terms of a progressive growth model under different kinetic conditions as dictated by different [CuSO4.5H2O] concentration regimes. The two studies in the present work lay the foundation for future investigation of surface biofunctionalization of these fascinating Cu NPs with different shapes and therefore different surface chemistries as controlled by the relative amounts of the (100) and (111) facets, and their boundaries.

Content: One of the well-explored alternatives to the lime – sulfide approach for dehairing and fibre opening is the enzymatic approach. In the approach, using a drum method, about 2.5 – 5.0%, on the soaked weight of the skin/hide, of the protease and amylase are sequentially employed, with each operation run for about 6 h. An extensive washing between the two steps required as the activity of one enzyme may be compromised in the presence of the other, especially during a long running of the drum. Though a combination approach, through the use of a bifunctional enzyme has been reported in the past for single step dehairing and fibre opening, this process is likely to have limited applications as there are reports that the storage stability of combination enzymes comprising of protease, amylase and lipase is low, which is generally circumvented by employing higher concentration of amylase and lipase over protease. The individual enzyme activities are also compromised in the presence of detergents and chelators. A similar scenario has also been observed in other industries such as food, laundry etc. The applicability of nanoparticlebased approach to immobilization of enzymes (individual) has been reported in areas such as catalysis and our earlier work immobilization of enzymes on iron oxide nanoparticles has been well received. In this paper, the immobilization of multiple enzymes on copper oxide nanoparticle surfaces is reported. The immobilization, the stability of the enzyme immobilized nanoparticles and the activity of the enzymes present in the immobilized system has been confirmed using various analytical techniques. The extended storage stability of the protease – amylase – nanoparticle system has been studied. A comparative study between protease – amylase combination (in the absence/presence of nanoparticles) indicated that in the absence of nanoparticles, the amylase activity was reduced, possibly due to denaturation of the amylase by the protease. The mechanism by which copper oxide nanoparticles prevent the denaturation of amylase has been studied through computational methods. From the leather processing point of view, the use of protease – amylase – nanoparticle system for combined dehairing and fibre opening has been established and the intact nature of the collagen fibres confirmed through histopathological studies. A comparison between lime-sulfide, protease followed by amylase, protease-amylase-nanoparticle systems for dehairing – fibre opening has been made and the effectivity of the nanoparticle immobilization demonstrated. Take-Away: - A transition from chemical to bioprocessing - Better acceptability of enzymatic approaches as known lacunae are overcome - Sustainable beam house operations

L’hépatite C est une maladie silencieuse, souvent asymptomatique, mais qui entraîne des lésions du foie et peut évoluer vers une cirrhose et, dans certains cas, vers un cancer. Le carcinome hépatocellulaire engendré par l’hépatite C constitue la première cause de transplantation hépatique. Les virus de l’hépatite C (VHC) et de la diarrhée virale bovine (VDVB) sont deux pestivirus possédant un ARN monocaténaire, de la famille des Flaviviridae. Bien qu’ayant des génomes différents, ils présentent une organisation structurelle et des processus de développement de l’enveloppe cellulaire comparables. Le screening de la chimiothèque du laboratoire a permis d’identifier cinq composés chefs de files, actifs à l’encontre du virus de l’hépatite C. Deux de ces composés de la série imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine ont fait l’objet d’un travail de pharmacomodulation dans le cadre des thèses de Jean-Baptiste Véron et Nicolas Henry. La première partie de mon travail de recherche a donc consisté à poursuivre ces travaux de pharmacomodulation afin de tenter d’améliorer l’activité de cette série chimique à l’égard du VHC ainsi que son index thérapeutique. La synthèse convergente de ces molécules a été effectuée grâce à des couplages métallo-catalysés.La seconde partie de mon projet de recherche a porté sur l’étude de la bifonctionnalisation des positions 7 et 8 du noyau imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine. Ces travaux ont permis de développer de nouvelles méthodologies pour introduire une diversité fonctionnelle sur ces positions. Ces molécules ont également été évaluées à l’encontre du VHC et l’une d’entre elle a montré une activité intéressante à l’encontre de ce virus. L’activité à l’encontre du VHC et l’index thérapeutique ont été améliorés pour deux molécules, analogues du BPIP. / Hepatitis C is a silent disease, often asymptomatic, responsible for hepatic lesions which may lead to cirrhosis and in some cases, to cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma caused by hepatitis C virus is the leading cause of liver transplantation. Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVDV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses are two pestiviruses from the Flaviviridae family that have a single-stranded RNA. Despite having different genomes, they present a similar structural organization and processes of development of the cell envelope.The laboratory’s chemical library screening has identified five hits, active against the HCV. Two of these compounds from the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine serie were pharmacomodulated as part of the Ph.D. thesis of Jean-Baptiste Véron and Nicolas Henry.The first part of my research work was therefore to continue the pharmacomodulation study of these chemical series to improve their activity against HCV and their therapeutic index. To do so, the convergent synthesis of these molecules was performed using metal-catalyzed couplings.The second part of my project has focused on the study of the difunctionalization of positions 7 and 8 of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine nucleus. This work helped to develop new methodologies for introducing a functional diversity on these positions. The antiviral activity of these molecules was also assessed against HCV and one of them has shown interesting activity against this virus.In conclusion, activity against HCV and therapeutic index have been improved for two molecules, analogues of BPIP.