Modern synthetic chemistry is unimaginable without transition metal catalysis. Yet the often high cost, toxicity and scarcity of many transition metals is driving attempts to find sustainable alternatives. Thus, the development of catalytic processes using main-group catalysts is now of broad interest. This thesis reports the development of a facile protocol for the aluminium-catalysed hydroboration of alkynes, alkenes and polar bonds using commercially-available catalysts. The catalytic hydroboration is proposed to occur by hydroalumination followed by product release through σ-bond metathesis with pinacol borane. An alternative route to alkenyl boranes is the 1,1-carboboration of alkynes using stoichiometric B(C6F5)3. A zwitterionic intermediate in the Piers' borane-catalysed hydroboration and 1,1-carboboration of alkynes with B(C6F5)3 has been characterised and its divergent reactivity identified. This has led to the development of a B(C6F5)3 - catalysed hydroboration of alkynes using HBpin.

This thesis details the design and development of pentacarboxycyclopentadienes (PCCPs) as a new platform for enantioselective Brønsted acid catalysis. Prior to this research, enantioselective Brønsted acid catalysis was limited to the BINOL (and variations thereof) framework. While this catalyst platform has paved the way for a myriad of novel asymmetric chemical transformations, the utility of this catalyst scaffold has suffered from its lengthy and expensive preparations. As an alternative, starting from readily available 1,2,3,4,5-pentacarbomethoxycyclopentadiene and various chiral alcohols and amines, the synthesis of a library of strongly acidic chiral catalysts is described. The utility of these novel acid catalysts is explored in various transformations. As a prelude to the heart of this work, Chapter 1 focuses on the advancements made in asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis through BINOL-phosphate derived catalysts, focusing on the major accomplishments made by researchers since 2004. The provided review highlights the utility of these chiral acid catalysts but also reveals the need for a new scaffold that is more affordable and accessible. Chapter 2 discusses the background of PCCPs, including its initial discovery and subsequent applications. Our work in developing novel transesterified and amidated derivatives is discussed with accompanying crystal structures of achiral and chiral PCCPs. pKa measurements demonstrate the capacity of PCCPs to be used as strong Brønsted acid catalysts and are compared to literature values of known Brønsted acid catalysts. Chapter 3 focuses on the utility of PCCPs as enantioselective Brønsted acid catalysts in a variety of chemical transformations including the Mukaiyama-Mannich reaction, transfer hydrogenation, Pictet-Spengler reaction, diaryl alcohol substitution, Mukayaiama oxocarbenium aldol reaction, and [4+2]-cycloaddition. Catalyst loadings down to 0.01 mol% and reaction scale up to 25 grams in the Mukaiyama-Mannich reaction demonstrate the practical utility and robustness of PCCPs. Substrate scopes of these transformations show the breadth of accessible molecules that can be synthesized via PCCPs. Mechanistic rationales and transition state analyses are discussed in each of the transformations.

Artificial photosynthesis is broadly defined as the process of solar energy conversion into chemical fuels and represents a promising route towards alleviating the global energy crisis. In this context, the development of photocathodes for the use in photoelectrochemical cells is an attractive approach for the storage of solar energy in the form of a chemical energy carrier (e.g. H$_{2}$ and CO$_{2}$-reduction products from H$_{2}$O and CO$_{2}$). However, molecular catalyst-based photocathodes remain scarcely reported and typically suffer from low efficiencies and/or stabilities due to inadequate strategies for interfacing the molecular component with the light-harvesting material, with benchmark systems continuing to rely on precious metal components. In this thesis, the straightforward preparation of a p-silicon|mesoporous titania|molecular catalyst photocathode assembly that is active towards proton reduction in aqueous media is first established. The mesoporous TiO$_{2}$ scaffold acts as an electron shuttle between the silicon and the catalyst, while also stabilising the silicon from passivation and enabling a high loading of molecular catalysts. When a Ni bis(diphosphine)-based catalyst is anchored on the surface of the electrode, a catalytic onset potential of +0.4 V vs. RHE and a high turnover number of 1 $\times$ 10$^{3}$ was obtained from photoelectrolysis under UV-filtered simulated solar irradiation at 1 Sun after 24 hours. Notwithstanding its aptitude for molecular catalyst immobilisation, the Si|TiO$_{2}$ photoelectrode showed great versatility towards different types of catalysts and pH conditions, highlighting the flexible platform it represents for many potential reductive catalysis transformations. The Si|TiO$_{2}$ scaffold was extended towards solar CO$_{2}$ reduction via the immobilisation of a novel phosphonated cobalt bis(terpyridine) catalyst to achieve the first precious metal-free, CO$_{2}$-reducing molecular hybrid photocathode. Reducing CO$_{2}$ in both organic-water and purely aqueous conditions, the activity of this photocathode was shown to be affected by its environment and reached record turnover numbers for CO production by a molecular photocathode under optimal conditions, maintaining stable activity for more than 24 hours. Critically, in-depth electrochemical and in situ resonance Raman and infrared spectroelectrochemical investigations provided key insights into the nature of the surface-bound Co complex under reducing conditions. While demonstrating the power and precision offered by such in situ spectroelectrochemical techniques, these studies ultimately alluded to a catalytic mechanism that contrasts with that reported for the in-solution (homogeneous) catalyst. Overall, this affords a distinct mechanistic pathway that unlocks an earlier catalytic onset and enables photoelectrochemical activity. Finally, in the context of improving product selectivity in molecular-based CO$_{2}$ reduction, polymers based on the cobalt bis(terpyridine) motif were synthesised and immobilised on inverse opal-type electrodes designed specifically to accommodate large molecules. Rational design of the polymers' co-monomers was aimed towards the provision of an artificial environment for the active complex that would influence product selectivity, which was ultimately demonstrated by the improvement of a H$_{2}$:CO product ratio of 1:2 (molecule) to 1:6 (polymer). Further studies of this all-in-one system included modulating its degree of cross-linkage as well as a CO$_{2}$ reducing demonstration photocathode on a Si|inverse-opal TiO$_{2}$ scaffold.

Over the past two decades and continuing on, carbonyl allylation chemistry has been a very useful and popular tool for the stereocontrolled formation of carbon-carbon bonds in the field of organic synthesis. In the context of natural product synthesis, the efficiency and status of aldehyde allylboration method is only matched by the asymmetric and diastereoselective aldol methodology. Unfortunately, prior to the new millennium, the means to control the absolute stereoselectivity in the addition of allylic boron reagents had been restricted to stoichiometric chiral directors, appended onto the metal center. In 2002, the research groups of Hall and Miyaura reported a new Lewis acid-catalyzed allylboration reaction manifold, which raised intriguing mechanistic questions and also paved the way for a catalytic enantioselective methodology development. Chapter 2 of this thesis details mechanistic studies related to the new Lewis acid-catalyzed allylboration. In this chapter, various control experiments and kinetic studies are presented, the results of which allowed us to propose a hypothesis involving the electrophilic boronate activation as the key factor for the observed rate enhancement. Chapter 3 describes the initial phase of our research to develop a catalytic enantioselective allylboration methodology. We discovered that Brnsted acid catalysts derived from diolSnCl4 complexes were promising catalysts for the asymmetric addition of air and moisture stable and commercially available allylic pinacol boronates. Under this 1st generation catalyst-system, the corresponding homoallylic alcohols were obtained in moderate to good enantioselectivity and excellent diastereoselectivity. The development of a novel chiral Brnsted acid catalyst for the highly enantio- and diastereoselective allylboration reaction methodology is the single most important result to come from this thesis. Chapter 4 outlines the development of the 2nd generation catalyst system. A systematic study of the diol component of the catalyst system led us to arrive at a novel diol nicknamed Vivol on behalf of my contribution. The resulting Brnsted acid derived from VivolSnCl4 now provided the corresponding homoallylic alcohol products in very good to excellent enantioselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic studies along with the X-ray diffraction structure of the catalyst system are also presented. Based on this information, an even better performaning diol (termed F-Vivol) was developed. This 3rd generation catalyst system derived from F-VivolSnCl4 complex was shown to display consistently superior reactivity and selectivity over its 2nd generation predecessor. Chapter 5 describes our efforts to expand the reagent scope of the Brnsted acid catalyzed allylboration methodology. Furthermore, this chapter also describes the successful application of the catalytic process towards the synthesis of simple and complex molecules. Accordingly, the preparation and application of the Brnsted acid-catalyzed addition of 2-bromoallyl boron pinacolate is described. The successful transformation of the corresponding bromo-homoallylic alcohols to a compelling class of -butyrolactones is also presented. The later part of the Chapter presents the synthesis of natural products (+) dodoneine and palmerolide A.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Soluble polymers as supports are gaining more attention now. Developing new polymers, new reagents and catalysts, new separation systems are thus of great interest as these sorts of materials' applications in synthesis and catalysis increase. The work described in the succeeding chapters describes my efforts to synthesize new catalysts that can be attached to polymer supports, to study their catalytic activity and to study separation efficiency. Most of the work focus is on polyacrylamide polymers. Both organometallic catalysts and organic catalysts have been studied. Liquid/liquid separation was the technique mainly investigated. In addition, a new separation scheme called latent biphasic system which is a new liquid/liquid separation method is described. Finally, studies with the Cremer group where the LCST behavior of polyacrylamides was studied using dark field methods are also discussed.

This thesis focusses on synthetic studies and mechanistic investigations into reactions involving hydrogen-transfer processes. In the first part, the development of an efficient method for the synthesis of β-hydroxy ketones (aldols) and β-amino ketones (Mannich products) from allylic alcohols and aldehydes is described. These reactions use  Ru(η5-C5Ph5)(CO)2Cl as the catalyst. The reaction parameters were optimised in order to suppress the formation of undesired by-products. Neutral and mild reaction conditions enabled the synthesis of a variety of aldol products in up to 99% yield, with a good syn/anti ratio. The influence of the stereoelectronic properties of the catalyst on the reaction outcome was also studied. Based on the results obtained, a plausible reaction mechanism has been proposed, involving as the key steps the 1,4-addition of hydride to α,β-unsaturated ketones and the formation of ruthenium (Z)-enolates. In the second part of this thesis, a ruthenium-catalysed tandem isomerisation/C-H activation reaction is presented. A number of ruthenium complexes, phosphine ligands, and additives were evaluated in order to establish the optimal reaction conditions. It was found that the use of a stable ruthenium catalyst, Ru(PPh3)3Cl2, together with PtBu3 and HCO2Na resulted in an efficient tandem transformation. Using this procedure, a variety of ortho-alkylated ketones were obtained in excellent yields. Moreover, homoallylic alcohols could also be used as starting materials for the reaction, which further expands the substrate scope. Mechanistic investigations into the isomerisation part of the process were carried out. The last project described in the thesis deals with the design and preparation of novel bifunctional iridium complexes containing an N-(2-hydroxy-isobutyl)-N-Heterocyclic carbene ligand. These complexes were used as catalysts to alkylate amines using alcohols as latent electrophiles. The catalytic system developed here was found to be one of the most active systems reported to date, allowing the reaction to be performed at temperatures as low as 50 °C for the first time. A broad substrate scope was examined. Combined experimental and theoretical studies into the reaction mechanism are consistent with a metal-ligand bifunctional activity of the new catalyst.

Nanomaterials have become a popular topic of research over the years because of their many important applications. It can be a challenge to stabilize the particles at a nanometer size, while having control over their surface features. Copper nanoparticles were synthesized photochemically using a photogenerated radical allowing spatial and temporal control over their formation. The synthesis was affected by the stabilizers used, which changed the size, dispersity, rate of formation, and oxidation rate. Copper nanoparticles suffer from their fast oxidation in air, so copper-silver bimetallic nanoparticles were synthesized in attempts to overcome the oxidation of copper nanoparticles. Bimetallic nanoparticles were synthesized, but preventing the oxidation of the copper nanoparticles proved difficult. One important application of nanoparticles that was explored here is in catalyzing organic reactions. Because of the fast oxidation of copper nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles were synthesized photochemically on different supports including TiO2 and hydrotalcite (HTC). Their catalytic efficiency was tested using alcohol oxidations. Different silver nanoparticle shapes (decahedra and plates) were compared with the spheres to see the different catalytic efficiencies.

This thesis examines the catalytic characteristics of two materials with respect to the decomposition of Formic Acid. The decomposition of formic acid proceeds via two principal reaction pathways: dehydration and dehydrogenation. Dehydrogenation is a valuable reaction producing Hydrogen suitable for use in fuel cells whereas the dehydration pathway produces carbon monoxide, a poison for many fuel cell materials. One of the surface species, the formate ion, is also implicated in other important chemical reactions, most notably the water gas shift and the decomposition of methanol. The author seeks to document various intermediate surface species associated with the two reaction pathways with hope to use this information to future tailoring of catalysts for greater selectivity.