by Lun Kue Sun. / Includes bibliographical references / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1986

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1956. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-170).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan, 1930. / Cover title. "Presented before the meeting of the American institute of chemical engineers, Detroit, Mich., June 4 to 6. 1930." "Literature cited": p. 26, 15.

The alumina-catalyzed Cope rearrangements of meso- and dl-3,4-diphenylhexa-1,5-diene were examined in detail, following up a preliminary observation by H. Berg at Portland State University. Commercial column-chromatography grade alumina was employed, and was further activated before use.by heating at 650-700° for four hours. Using a ratio of 20 mg of dl-3,4-diphenylhex-l,5-diene to 1 g of alumina in heptane, the Cope rearrangement was complete within 15 minutes at room temperature to give exclusively trans,trans-1,6-diphenylhexa-1,5-diene. This was identified.by melting point, infrared spectroscopy and vapor phase chromatography The catalyzed rearrangement of meso-3,4-diphenylhexa-l,5-diene was run using the same diene to alumina ratio. It was found that 31% of the meso-diene was converted to cis,trans- and trans,trans-l,6-diphenylhexa-1,5-diene at room temperature in four hours. Product iso-merization appeared to take place; the initial ratio of cis,trans-diene to trans,trans-diene was estimated to be 73:27. Another run was carried out at 60°, where the problem of isomerization of cis,trans-diene to trans,trans-diene was more pronounced. The rearrangement gave cis, trans-diene and trans,trans-diene in a ratio of 58:42, as estimated by extrapolation of the product ratio to zero time. Approximately 95% of meso-diene had reacted in one hour at this temperature. The extent of conversion of mes-diene was calculated by quantitative infrared spectroscopy, and the isomeric distribution of products was determined by vapor phase chromatography. The product distribution in the alumina-catalyzed rearrangements parallels that of the thermal Cope rearrangement, where dl-diene gives exclusively trans,trans-diene at 80° with a half-life of eight hours and meso-diene gives 63% cis,trans-diene and 27% trans,trans-diene at 120° with a half-life of 15 hours.

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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are carcinogenic, persistent, and bioaccumulative contaminants that pose risks to human and environmental health. PCB biodegradation by indigenous microbial communities could be a cost-effective and an environmental-friendly bioremediation strategy for in situ PCB removal. A comprehensive understanding of the microbial PCB degradation at the contaminated site is required for the acceptance and optimization of using microbial PCB degradation as the site clean-up strategy. This thesis describes investigations of the aerobic and anaerobic microbial degradation of PCBs under both field and laboratory conditions. The microbial PCB degradation potential in sediments from Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal (IHSC), a site that was historically contaminated by PCBs, was explored by analyzing the PCB congener distributions and microbial communities in two core sediment samples. PCB congener analysis suggested the possibility of in situ dechlorination in deep sediments. Molecular analysis of biomarker genes revealed the potential of both aerobic and anaerobic PCB degradation in sediments. Microbial communities were characterized by the combination use of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), clone library, and pyrosequencing. These methods elucidated the dominant role of Proteobacteria, especially Acidovorax and Acinetobacter in sediments. To improve the microbial PCB degradation, phytoremediation with switchgrass (Panicum vigratum) was employed under laboratory conditions. Congener analysis showed that both phytoextraction and microbial PCB degradation contributed to the enhanced PCB removal in the presence of switchgrass. Bioaugmentation with Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 was performed to further promote aerobic PCB degradation. The presence of LB400 was associated with improved degradation of PCB 52, but not PCB77 or PCB 153. Increased abundance of the biphenyl dioxygenase gene, which is indicative of aerobic PCB degradation, and its transcript were observed after bioaugmentation, suggesting active aerobic PCB degradation. To promote the anaerobic PCB degradation, redox cycling (alternating flooding and non-flooding) was performed. Redox cycling was found to improve the removal of PCB 153 in unplanted soils and to increase the dechlorinating Chloroflexi population. Characterization of the microbial community by T-RFLP and clone library revealed that Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were dominant. Species that contain dechlorination potential were identified, including Geobacter and Clostridium, suggesting that their possible role in PCB dechlorination. The research described in this thesis provides scientific knowledge and evidence for the feasibility of employing bioremediation including natural attenuation, phytoremediation, and bioaugmentation to clean up PCB contamination. Such information will be critical in selecting and optimizing remediation strategies for PCB contaminated sites.

Routes to novel heterocyclic azo compounds and components of use as potential inkjet dyes were investigated. A new route to fluorenones from biphenyl acid chlorides using FVP (Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis) has been discovered. Fluorenone and 4-methylfluoren-9-one were prepared by FVP of 2-phenylbenzoyl chloride and 2-methylbiphenyl-2-carbonyl chloride respectively. Xanthen-9-one and thioxanthen-9-one were also prepared by FVP from the corresponding acid chlorides. 9-Phenanthrol could also be prepared via the FVP of biphenylacetyl choride and the application of this method to a heterocylic thiophene system afforded naphtho[1,2-b]thiophen-4-ol. Naphtho[2,1-b]thiophen-4-ol and naphtho[1,2-b]furan- 4-ol could be obtained in low yields by the FVP of (2-thiophen-3-ylphenyl)acetic acid methyl ester and (2-furan-2-ylphenyl) acetic acid methyl ester over a tungsten trioxide catalyst. Coupling of these systems with the diazonium salt of Acid Yellow 9 afforded the corresponding azo compounds. New heterocyclic dyes were also prepared from the condensation of heterocyclic hydrazines with 4,9-disulfophenanthrenequinone. Pyridine, pyridazine, phthalazine, isoquinoline and 2-quinoline disulfophenanthrene quinone metallised 2:1 nickel complexed magenta dyes were prepared. Industrial tests by standard methods revealed the pyridazine dye has a particularly impressive balance of light and ozone fastness over similar magenta dyes. The reaction of an arylnitro compound with 2-aminopyridine appeared to be an attractive and high yielding route to 2-(phenylazo)pyridine. However, application of this reaction to substituted and naphthalene systems failed. This afforded byproducts due to nucleophilic substitution of groups such as methoxy and the relatively uncommon nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen with none of the required azo products obtained. Therefore it appeared that the reaction of a nitro and amine was not a robust and versatile route to heterocyclic azo compounds. An alternate route to heterocyclic azo compounds involved the use of the Mills reaction by the condensation o-anisidine, p-chloroaniline, 2-aminophenol, 3- aminophenol, naphthylamine, 8-amnioquinoline and 2-acetylamino-5-aminobenzenesulfonic acid with 2-nitrosopyridine afforded the heterocyclic azo products in moderate to high yields. The Mills reaction does appear to be the favored route to heterocyclic azo compounds. Several factors were identified which affect the process of bisazo coupling of chromotropic acid and products obtained. Reaction at the ipso position of monoPACAs (2-phenylazochromotropic acid) leading to increased yields of the ipso substitution monoPACA by-product as opposed to the expected bisazo coupling position was a major problem. Studies indicated reactivity at the ipso position was greatly reduced by the presence of electron withdrawing groups around the phenyl ring of the monoPACA. Further study indicated reaction at the bisazo coupling position increased with the strength of the diazonium salt used in bisazo coupling. Therefore the electronic nature of the monoPACA starting material and the diazonium salt used in bisazo coupling greatly affected the products obtained. Reaction pH studies also revealed attack at the bisazo coupling position increases with pH and at lower pH (5.0 – 8.0) attack at the ipso position dominated. Reactivity of the monoPACA starting material also increased with pH. The influence of steric effects upon bisazo coupling revealed, in the cases where ortho sulfonic acid groups were present in the monoPACA, a reduction in attack at the ipso position. Hence the reaction appeared to be directed towards the required bisazo coupling position.