The following thesis outlines work carried out during the past three years for the discovery and investigation of catalytic methodologies towards the synthesis and modification of heterocycles, namely cyclic carbamates, carbonates and their sulfur analogues. Chapter 1 summarises the current catalytic methods reported in the literature towards the synthesis and modification of functionalized 2-oxazolidinones. This introduction highlights the diverse range of methods and catalysts that have been developed and their scope and limitations. In addition the review highlights the importance of these structural motifs and suggests areas in which the following research fulfills unmet needs. Chapter 2 reports the discovery and development of a one-pot two-step copper-catalysed methodology towards the synthesis of N-aryl oxazolidinones from amino alcohol carbamates. The scope of both the N-aryl substituent as well as oxazolidinone functionalization is presented in addition to preliminary investigations into the mechanisms of both reactions. Chapter 3 presents the application of the previously reported one-pot process towards the synthesis of a number of medicinally active molecules and blockbuster pharmaceuticals. The one-pot two-step copper-catalysed reaction was utilized to synthesise a common intermediate in the synthesis of a number of oxazolidinone-based pharmaceuticals. The complete syntheses of Toloxatone, Linezolid, Tedizolid and Rivaroxaban are reported. Chapter 4 reports the modification of N-aryl oxazolidinones towards a diverse library of N-aryl oxazolidinethiones. The reactivity of these structures, in addition to N-alkyl oxazolidinethiones, towards transition metal catalysis was investigated and revealed a ruthenium catalysed O- to S-alkyl migration to afford structurally diverse thiazolidinones. Investigations into the substrate scope and mechanism were also carried out, suggesting a pseudo-reversible radical pathway drawing mechanistic parallels to the classic Barton-McCombie reaction. Chapter 5 details further development of the pseudo-reversible radical pathway for the regioselective rearrangement of dioxolane-2-thiones using Pd(PPh3)4 as a catalyst. The scope of the reaction is reported for the formation of highly selective, highly substituted sulfur-rearrangement products.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: Miedema's plot is used to select the Cu/metal barrier for Cu metallization.The Cu/metal barrier system selected should have positive heat of formation (Hf) so that there is no intermixing between the two layers. In this case, Ru is chosen as a potential candidate, and then the barrier properties of sputtered Cu/Ru thin films on thermally grown SiO2 substrates are investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and electrical resistivity measurement. The Cu/Ru/SiO2 samples are analyzed prior to and after vacuum annealing at various temperatures of 400, 500, and 600 oC and at different interval of times of 0.5, 1 and 2 hrs for each temperature. Backscattering analysis indicate that both the copper and ruthenium thin films are thermally stable at high temperature of 600 oC, without any interdiffusion and chemical reaction between Cu and Ru thin films. No new phase formation is observed in any of the Cu/Ru/SiO2 samples. The XRD data indicate no new phase formation in any of the annealed Cu/Ru/SiO2 samples and confirmed excellent thermal stability of Cu on Ru layer. The electrical resistivity measurement indicated that the electrical resistivity value of the copper thin films annealed at 400, 500, and 600 oC is essentially constant and the copper films are thermally stable on Ru, no reaction occurs between copper films and Ru the layer. Cu/Ru/SiO2 multilayered thin film samples have been shown to possess good mechanical strength and adhesion between the Cu and Ru layers compared to the Cu/SiO2 thin film samples. The strength evaluation is carried out under static loading conditions such as nanoindentation testing. In this study, evaluation and comparison is donebased on the dynamic deformation behavior of Cu/Ru/SiO2 and Cu/SiO2 samples under scratch loading condition as a measure of tribological properties. Finally, the deformation behavior under static and dynamic loading conditions is understood using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the focused ionbeam imaging microscope (FIB) for topographical and cross-sectional imaging respectively. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Materials Science and Engineering 2010

A series of chiral phosphinoferrocene amides was prepared by the condensation either of 1'- (diphenylphosphino)ferrocene-1-carboxylic acid (Hdpf) or its planar-chiral 1,2-isomers and amino acid methyl esters in the presence of peptide coupling agents. The resulting phosphinoamides were tested as ligands in Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate additions of diethylzinc to chalcones and in Pd-mediated asymmetric allylic substitution reactions of 1,3- diphenylallyl acetate with the respective nucleophile (alkylation, amination and etherification). The catalytic tests were focused on an optimization of the reaction parameters (solvent, temperature, base, metal/ligand ratio) and on survey of various substrates. Compounds based on Hdpf proved to be better ligands in both catalytic reactions than their planar chiral analogues. In order to rationalize the influence of the ligand structure on the reaction course and also to interpret the catalytic results, several model complexes were prepared and structurally characterized. Other three series of non-chiral complexes were prepared from the corresponding (η6 - arene)ruthenium(II) precursor and Hdpf-glycine conjugates; the neutral complexes of the type [(arene)RuCl2(Hdpf-Gly(R)-κP)] (arene = benzene, p-cymene, hexamethyl-benzene; R = OMe, NH2, OH) as well as two...

The deposition of Cu seed layers for electrochemical Cu deposition (ECD) via atomic layer deposition (ALD) of copper oxide and subsequent thermal reduction at temperatures between 110 and 120°C was studied on different diffusion barrier systems. While optimization of the process is required on TaN with respect to reduction and plating, promising results were obtained on blanket PVD Ru. The plating results on layers of ALD Cu with underlying Ru even outperformed the ones achieved on PVD Cu seed layers with respect to morphology and resistivity. Applying the processes to via and line patterns gave similar results, suggesting that a combination of ALD Cu with PVD or ALD-grown Ru could significantly improve the ECD Cu growth.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of copper films is getting enormous interest. Ultrathin Cu films are applied as the seed layer for electrochemical deposition (ECD) of copper in interconnect circuits and as the non-magnetic material for the realization of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors. Particularly, Co/Cu multi-layered structures require sub 4.0 nm copper film thickness for obtaining strong GMR effects. The physical vapor deposition process for the deposition of the copper seed layers are prone to non-conformal coating and poor step coverage on side-walls and bottoms of trenches and vias, and presence of overhanging structures. This may cause failure of interconnections due to formation of voids after copper ECD. ALD is the most suitable technology for the deposition of conformal seed layers for the subsequent ECD in very high aspect ratio structures, also for the technology nodes below 20 nm. Surface chemistry during the ALD of oxides is quite well studied. However, surface chemistry during the ALD of pure metal is rather immature. This knowledge is necessary to optimize the process parameters, synthesize better precursors systems, and enhance the knowledge of existing metal ALD processes. The major goal of this work is to understand the surface chemistry of the used precursor and study the growth of ultrathin copper films using in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Copper films are deposited by ALD using the precursor mixture consisting of 99 mol% [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)], as copper precursor and 1 mol% of Ru(η5 C7H11)(η5 C5H4SiMe3), as ruthenium precursor. The purpose in having catalytic amount of ruthenium precursor is to obtain the Ru doped Cu2O layers for subsequent reduction with formic acid at temperatures below 150 °C on arbitrary substrates. Two different approaches for the growth of ultrathin copper films have been studied in this dissertation. In the first approach, direct thermal ALD of copper has been studied by using H2 as co-reactant on Co as catalytic substrate. In the second approach, Ru-doped Cu2O is deposited by ALD using wet-O2 as co-reactant on SiO2 as non-catalytic substrate. The Ru-doped Cu2O is successfully reduced by using either formic acid or carbon-monoxide on SiO2. / Atomlagenabscheidung (ALD) von Kupfer steht im Fokus der ALD Gemeinschaft. Ultradünne Kupferschichten können als Keimschicht für die elektrochemische Abscheidung (ECD) von Kupfer in der Verbindungstechnologie eingesetzt werden. Sie können ebenfalls für Sensoren, welche auf den Effekt des Riesenmagnetowiderstandes (GMR) basieren, als nicht-ferromagnetische Zwischenschicht verwendet werden. Insbesondere Multischichtstrukturen aus ferromagnetische Kobalt und Kupfer erfordern Schichtdicken von weniger als 4,0 nm, um einen starken GMR-Effekt zu gewährleisten. Das derzeit verwendete physikalische Dampfabscheidungsverfahren für ultradünne Kupferschichten, ist besonders anfällig für eine nicht-konforme Abscheidung an den Seitenwänden und Böden von Strukturen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis. Des Weiteren kann es zur Bildung von Löchern und überhängenden Strukturen kommen, welche bei der anschließenden Kupfer ECD zu Kontaktlücken (Voids) führen können. Für die Abscheidung einer Kupfer-Keimschicht ist die ALD besonders gut geeignet, da sie es ermöglicht, ultradünne konforme Schichten auf strukturierten Oberflächen mit hohem Aspektverhältnis abzuscheiden. Dies macht sie zu einer der Schlüsseltechnologien für Struckturgrößen unter 20 nm. Im Gegensatz zur Oberflächenchemie rein metallischer ALD sind die Oberflächenreaktionen für oxidische ALD Schichten sehr gut untersucht. Die Kenntnis der Oberflächenchemie während eines ALD Prozesses ist essenziel für die Bestimmung von wichtigen Prozessparametern als auch für die Verbesserung der Präkursorsynthese ansich. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Untersuchung der Oberflächenchemie und Charakterisierung des Wachstums von ultradünnen Metall-Cu-Schichten mittels In-situ XPS, welche eines indirekten (Oxid) bzw. direkten Metall-ALD Prozesses abgeschieden werden, wobei die Kupfer-Oxidschichten im Anschluss einem Reduktionsprozess unterworfen werden. Hierfür wird eine Präkursormischung bestehend aus 99 mol% [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)] und 1 mol% [Ru(η5 C7H11)(η5-C5H4SiMe3)] verwendet. Die katalytische Menge an Ru, welche in der entstehenden Cu2O Schicht verbleibt, erhöht den Effekt der Reduktion der Cu2O Schicht auf beliebigen Substraten mit Ameinsäure bei Wafertemperaturen unter 150 °C. In einem ersten Schritt wird ein direkter thermisches Kupfer ALD-Prozess, unter Verwendung von molekularem Wasserstoff als Coreaktant, auf einem Kobalt-Substrat untersucht. In einem zweiten Schritt wird ein indirekter thermischer Cu2O-ALD-Prozess, unter gleichzeitiger Verwendung von Sauerstoff und Wasserdampf als Coreaktant, mit anschließender Reduktion durch Ameinsäure oder Kohlenstoffmonoxid zu Kupfer auf den gleichen Substraten betrachtet. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt das Wachstum von ultradünnen und kontinuierlichen Kupfer-Schichten mittels thermischer ALD auf inerten- SiO2 und reaktiven Kobalt-Substraten.