Chapter 1: Facile entry into triazole fused tetrahydropyrazinones from amines and amino acids. In this chapter, A practical and high yielding regioselective synthesis of several new, enantiopure 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrazin-6-ones is described starting from primary amines in a three step reaction sequence (alkylation, acylation, one-pot displacement with azide followed by cycloaddition) employing constrained intramolecular ‘click’ reaction as the key step. The method obviates chromatographic purification of products. This methodology was also extended to the synthesis of diverse triazole fused tetrahydropyrazinones derived from amino acids. The scope of this methodology was extended by varying the alkyl as well as acyl components which furnished other triazole fused novel heterocycles. Chapter 2: Facile entry into triazole fused heterocycles via sulfamidate derived azido-alkynes. Direct synthesis of condensed triazoles from diverse sulfamidates by ring opening of sulfamidates with sodium azide followed by one-pot propargylation and cycloaddtion furnished title compounds. The methodogy in general has been demonstrated on diverse sulfamidates derived from amino acids, amino acid derivatives to obtain a variety of triazole fused scaffolds. In one example, a condensed triazole containing amino acid has been synthesized by ring opening of a sulfamidate derivative with propargyl amine. This methodology has also been extended to the synthesis of condensed triazoles derived from D-glucose. Chapter 3: ‘Click Chemistry’ Inspired Synthesis of Novel Ferrocene-Amino acid, Peptide Conjugates. In this chapter synthesis of a wide range of ferrocene-amino acid and peptide conjugates in excellent yield is presented. Conjugation is established via copper catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Two complementary strategies were employed for conjugation, one involving cycloaddition of amino acid derived azides with ethynyl ferrocene and the other involving cycloaddition between amino acid derived alkynes with ferrocene derived azides. Labeling of amino acids at multiple sites with ferrocene is discussed. A new route to 1, 1’ unsymmetrically substituted ferrocene conjugates is reported. A novel ferrocenophane is accessed via bimolecular condensation of amino acid derived bis alkyne with azide. The electrochemical behavior of a few selected ferrocene conjugates has been studied by cyclic voltammetry. Chapter 4: Click Chemistry inspired Synthesis of Ferrocene Amino acids and other derivatives. This work reports the synthesis of a wide range of ferrocenyl-amino acids and other derivatives in excellent yield. Diverse amino acid containing azides were synthesized and ligated to ferrocene employing click reaction to access ferrocenyl amino acids. Chiral alcohols, esters, diols amines containing azido group were tagged to ferrocene via click reaction to generateferrocene derived chiral derivatives. A novel strategy for direct incorporation of ferrocene into a peptide and a new route to 1, 1’ disubstituted ferrocene amino acid derivative are reported. Synthesis of mono and disubstituted ferrocene derivatives employing ferrocene derived azides is also described. Chapter 5: Convenient synthesis of Ferrocene Conjugates mediated by Benzyltriethylammonium Tetrathiomolybdate in a multi-step tandem process. The synthesis of a wide range of ferrocene derived sulfur linked mono and disubstituted Michael adducts and conjugates mediated by benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate in a tandem process is reported. New route to access acryloyl ferrocene and 1,1’-bis acryloyl ferrocene is discussed. Conjugation of amino acids to ferrocene is established via their Nand Ctermini and also via side chain employing conjugate addition as key step to furnish monovalent and divalent conjugates. This methodology has also been extended to access several ferrocene carbohydrate conjugates. The electrochemical behavior of a few selected ferrocene conjugates has been studied by cyclic voltammetry. Finally, 1,1’-bis acryloyl ruthenocene was synthesized and it was utilized for the preparation of ruthenocene-carbohydrate conjugate in good yield. Chapter 6: Formation of Intramolecular S-Se bond mediated by tetrathiomolybdate. In this chapter, we have disclosed our preliminary results on reactivity of tetrathiomolybdate towards compounds containing both thiocyanate and selenocyanate functionalities. Several such compounds have been synthesized from the corresponding dibromides in two steps. We have observed selective reductive dimerization of selenocyanate over thiocyanate. In all the cases we also obtained seleno-sulfides via disulfide diselenide exchange reaction upon addition of excess tetrathiomolybdate. In the case of substrates on benzene scaffold, disulfide and diselenide bridged macrocycles were obtained apart from seleno sulfides whereas in the case of ferrocene derived substrates, formation of macrocycles was not observed. A tentative mechanism for the formation of these novel seleno sulfides is also discussed.(For structural formula pl see the pdf file)

Organometallic chemotherapeutic agents, many of which target DNA, have been shown to be effective in the treatment of cancer. With that said though, these compounds have a number of side affects such as nephrotoxicity. Two novel compounds, Ferrocene [ferrocenoyltrichloroacetone] and Rhodium-ferrocene [(1.5 cyclooctadiene)(1-ferrocenyl- 4,4,4-trichloro-1,3-butanedionate], synthesised by the research group of J Swarts (University of the Free State) were evaluated to determine their mechanism of action and their potential use as novel therapeutic agents. It is hypothesized, by merit of their chemical structures, that these compounds’ anti-cancer activity is due to their interaction with DNA. Both drugs were evaluated from a cellular to a molecular level, in vitro, to validate this hypothesis. Linearised DNA was exposed to both drugs and digested with a variety of restriction enzymes. It was found that the compounds bind to the PstI restriction site; thereby inhibiting the enzyme’s restriction activity. From this point it was necessary to show that the compounds are able to interact with DNA in a cellular system. By exposing a transformed breast epithelial cell line (MCF-12A) and a cancerous breast epithelial cell line (MCF-7) to the compounds, for various times, followed by flow cytometric analyses, it was found that both affect progression through the cell cycle. Cells accumulated at various phases of the cell cycle, as a result of checkpoint gene activation. Further flow cytometric analyses showed that both drugs induce necrosis in MCF-7 cells. The “normal” cell line however did not show this response as it is believed that cell cycle arrest and repair mechanisms were initiated, which would delay cell death. Gene expression analyses were performed by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR in which panels of cell cycle related genes as well as DNA damage associated genes were probed in two separate array formats. These studies revealed that a number of DNA damage and repair genes are activated; specifically those associated with excision repair and free-radical induced DNA damage. Members of the RAD family as well as the genes GADD45A, XPC and OGG1 were found to be upregulated as a result of Ferrocene treatment. This could be expected as it was shown that ferrocene binds to DNA, and it logically then follows that this would lead to excision repair being attempted by the cell. Similar gene expression patterns were found following Rhodium-ferrocene treatment with the up-regulation of genes such as OGG1, ATM and GADD45G, albeit to a lesser extent. It is hypothesised that the larger molecule may not interact as effectively with DNA, due to steric hinderance. Arrest mechanisms, for both drugs, were more pronounced in the “normal” cell line and it is believed that this is due to the fact that many of these genes have been inactivated in the cancerous cell line. We have shown, on multiple levels, that both compounds’ therapeutic action is as a result of their interaction with the cell’s DNA. This interaction leads to cell death in both the transformed and the cancerous cell line. In order to clarify these mechanisms it is suggested that proteomic and metabolomic studies should be performed. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Genetics / unrestricted

The present thesis deals with different aspects of the chemistry and photo-biology of various ferrocene-conjugated metal complexes, their interaction with double helical DNA, DNA photocleavage and photo-enhanced cytotoxicity in visible light. Phenyl analogues of the active complexes have been synthesized and used for comparison in biological assays. Chapter I provides an introduction to the potential of metal complexes as photochemotherapeutic agents with special reference to organometallic compounds. A brief overview of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) as a new modality of cancer treatment has been given. Various modes of non-covalent interactions of small molecules with duplex DNA are mentioned. Recent reports on the metal-based photocytotoxic and DNA cleaving agents including photoactivatable organometallic compounds are discussed. The objective of the present investigation is also presented in this chapter. Chapter II presents the synthesis, characterization, structure, DNA binding, DNA photocleavage, photocytotoxicity, mechanism of cell death and cellular localization of ferrocene-conjugated L-methionine reduced Schiff base Cu(II) complexes of phenanthroline bases. To explore the role of the ferrocenyl moiety the phenyl analogues of the ferrocenyl complexes are synthesized and used as controls for comparison purpose. Chapter III deals with the photo-induced DNA cleavage and photo-enhanced cytotoxicity of ferrocene-appended L-tryptophan Cu(II) complexes of heterocyclic bases. The synthesis, characterization, structural comparisons, DNA binding, DNA photocleavage, photocytotoxic activity and cell death mechanism in visible light are discussed in detail. Chapter IV describes the synthesis, characterization and structure of ferrocenylmethyl-L-tyrosine Cu(II) complexes of phenanthroline bases. The complexes are evaluated for DNA binding, DNA photocleavage and photocytotoxic activity in visible light. The cellular localization of the complexes and the mechanism of cell death induced by the complexes are also discussed. Chapter V presents the photocytotoxic effect of ferrocene-conjugated L-amino acid reduced Schiff base Cu(II) complexes of anthracenyl/pyrenyl imidazophenanthroline. The ability of the complexes to bind to double helical DNA and cleave it under photo-illumination conditions is described. Evaluation of the complexes as photochemotherapeutic agents and comparison with currently clinically available drug Photofrin are presented. The mechanism of cancer cell death and cellular localization of the complexes are studied by fluorescence microscopy. Chapter VI describes the synthesis, characterization and photochemotherapeutic efficacy of Cu(II) complexes having ferrocene-appended L-amino acid reduced Schiff base ligands and the naturally occurring polyphenol curcumin. Stabilization of curcumin by complexation to metal for improved photodynamic effect in cancer cells is described with comparison to the parent dye and clinically used drug Photofrin. The mechanism of cell death induced by the copper complexes and their localization in cancer cells are also presented. Finally, the summary of the dissertation and conclusions drawn from the present investigations are presented. The references in the text have been indicated as superscript numbers and compiled at the end of each chapter. The complexes presented in this thesis are represented by bold-faced numbers. Crystallographic data of the structurally characterized complexes are given in CIF format in the enclosed CD (Appendix-I). Due acknowledgements have been made wherever the work described is based on the findings of other investigators. Any unintentional omission that might have happened due to oversight or mistake is regretted.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of chiral oxazoline directed lithiation provides a highly diastereoselective (up to >99% de) route to meta functionalised inherently chiral calixarenes. This methodology can be used on both the butylated and debutylated calixarene systems and is tolerant of a wide range of different electrophillic quenches allowing access to a structurally diverse range of inherently chiral metafunctionalised calixarenes. The oxazoline directing group can be removed via hydrolysis, generating a range of functionalised calixarene carboxylic acids in high ee. We also demonstrate that the use of derivative alkyllithiums such as cyclopentyl lithium can provide significantly enhanced diastereoselectivity over the conventional organolithiums such as sec-butyl lithium, when employed in ortholithiation reactions of this nature. The differences in diastereoselectivity associated with the different alkyllithiums can be tied, in certain cases, to the steric bulkiness associated with the individual reagents. In this regard we have found that the use of the so called Tolman angle or cone angle approach allows quantification of the relative steric bulk of the alkyllithium. We also detail that the oxazoline directing group provides a hitherto unknown ability to be diastereoselectively tuned through the choice of the ligand system in the ortholithiation reaction. In this regard the development of a series of diglyme based ligands have proved to provide a highly diastereoselective means of inverting the chirality from that which the use of the conventional TMEDA ligand is able to generate (up to –92% de). The use of diglyme ligands to invert the sense of chirality is also shown to occur on the ferrocenyloxazoline system and presents an apparently general and hitherto unknown facet of asymmetric oxazoline directed ortholithiation. This diglyme induced inversion has been shown to be controlled through a secondary nitrogen coordinated mechanism that is able to operate with chiral oxazolines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van chirale oksasoliengerigte litiëring verskaf ’n hoogs diastereoselektiewe (tot en met >99% do) roete om metagefunksionaliseerde, inherente chirale calixareen produkte te sintetiseer. Deur gebruik te maak van verskillende elektrofiele kan die metodologie toegepas word op beide gebutileerde en de-gebutileerde calixareen sisteme om ’n reeks uiteenlopende inherente chirale, meta-gefunksionaliseerde calixareen produkte te vorm. Die oksasolien groep kan daarna verwyder word deur hidroliese om ’n reeks gefunksionaliseerde calixareenkarboksielsure te vorm in baie hoë eo. Ons het ook gedemonstreer dat die gebruik van afgeleide alkiel-litiums, soos siklopentiel-litium, kan bydrae tot aansienlik verhoogde diastereoselektiwiteit as dit vergelyk word met meer algemene organolitiums soos sekbutiellitium, tydens ortolitiëring reaksies van hierdie natuur. Die verskille in diastereoselektiwiteit kan verbind word, in sekere gevalle, tot die steriese bonkigheid van die individuele reagense. Deur gebruik te maak van die sogenaamde Tolmanhoeke of die koniesehoek benadering is dit moontlik om die relatiewe steriese bonkighied van alkiellitiums te kwantifiseer. Daar was ook bepaal dat die oksasoliengroep die ongekende vermoë besit om die diastereoselektiwiteit van die produk te stem deur die keuse van verskillende ligand sisteme tydens die ortolitiëring reaksie. Daar was bepaal dat die chiralitiet van die produkte omgekeer kan word op ’n hoogs diastereoselektiewe manier, deur gebruik te maak van ’n reeks ontwikkelde diglymegebaseerde ligande, indien dit vergelyk word met die produkte wat deur die konvensionele TMEDA gegenereer was (tot en met –92% do). Die gebruik van diglyme ligande was ook getoets op ferroseenoksasolien sisteme en dit was bevind dat dieselfde omkering in chiraliteit ook plaasvind wat aanleiding kan gee tot 'n oënskynlik algemene en tot nou toe onbekende faset van asimmetriese oksasoliengerigte orto-litiëring. Dit is bepaal dat hierdie diglyme geïnduseerde omkering in chiraliteit beheer word deur middel van 'n sekondêre stikstofgekoördineerde meganisme, wat in staat is om saam te werk met chirale oksasoliene.

<p>This thesis deals with the copper-catalyzed substitution of allylic substrates.</p><p>In the first part of this thesis, the synthesis of a series of metallocenethiolates is described. The thiolates were examined as ligands in the enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed γ-substitution of allylic acetates.</p><p>The second part describes a study on copper-catalyzed α-substitution of enantiomerically pure secondary allylic esters. It was observed that the degree of chirality transfer is strongly dependent on the reaction temperature. The loss of chiral information is consistent with an equilibration of the allylCu(III) intermediates prior to product formation, which is essential in order to realize a copper-catalyzed dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation process.</p><p>The third part describes a study on copper-catalyzed stereoselective α-substitution of enantiopure acyclic allylic esters. This method, when combined, with ruthenium and enzyme catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution of allylic alcohols, provides a straightforward route to pharmaceutically important α-methyl carboxylic acids.</p><p>The fourth part is a mechanistic study on the reaction of perfluoroallyl iodide with organocuprates. Experimental studies as well as theoretical calculations were used to explain the contrasting reactivity of perfluoroallyl iodide vs. allyl iodide in cuprate allylation reactions.</p><p>In the fifth part, the development of a practical and useful method for the preparation of pentasubstituted acylferrocenes is presented.</p>

We report an IgG (=immunoglobulin) electrochemical immunosensor using a newly synthesized redox-active ferrocenyl dendrimer of generation 2 (G2Fc) as a voltammetric transducer. The ferrocenyl dendrimer N(CH2CH2C(O)NHCH2CH2NHC(O)Fe(η5-C5H4)(η5-C5H5))(CH2CH2N(CH2CH2C(O)NHCH2CH2NHC(O)Fe(η5-C5H4)(η5-C5H5))2)2 (G2Fc) was used as a functional moiety to immobilize the antibody on the surface of the electrode. A sandwich immunosensor of the type IgG/Bovine serum albumin (BSA)/anti-IgG/G2Fc/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated. The electrochemical properties of G2Fc were thoroughly studied in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes with varying scan rates. The incubation time was optimized for better analytical performance of the immunosensor. It is found that the developed amperometric immunosensor is sensitive to a concentration of IgG as low as 2 ng mL−1. / Dieser Beitrag ist aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Title: Light platinum group metal complexes with a ferrocene N-phosphinoamide Author: Bc. Michal Navrátil Department: Department of Inorganic chemistry Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Petr Štěpnička, Ph.D., DSc. Abstract: The aim of this diploma thesis is the preparation of coordination compounds containing ferrocene phosphinoamide FcCONHPPh2 (1, Fc = ferrocenyl), whose preparation was discussed in author's bachelor thesis. Twelve new complexes are described in this thesis, including their characterisation by NMR and infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. In all cases the crystal structure was determined. Two palladium(II), one rhodium(III) and one ruthenium(II) precursors were used for the preparation of the complexes with each providing three new compounds. A reaction of the precursors with phosphinoamide 1 yielded complexes, in which the phosphinoamide was P-coordinated. This compound was a precursor for the other two complexes. The first one was obtained by a reaction with silver(I) perchlorate producing a cationic P,O-chelate. The other was obtained by a reaction with potassium tert-butoxide resulting in neutral P,O- chelate. All twelve complexes were prepared with optimised yields. Keywords: ferrocene, amides, phosphines, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, structure elucidation.

Polyheterocycles such as polythiophene and its derivatives comprise an important class of conducting polymers used for electronic applications. They have been of great interest for use in electronic materials due to their increased environmental stability as well as novel electronic properties in their polymer states. We have been interested in exploring the electronic properties of organometallic analogues of the low-band-gap polymer poly(benzo[3,4-c]thiophene) (polyisothianaphthene) that incorporates η5-cyclopenta[c]thienyl monomers such as ferroceno[c]thiophene. First chapter of this dissertation involved synthetic attempts to ferroceno[c]thiophene. Exploring a shorter synthetic route to starting material, 1,2-di(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene was the first task. This was followed by attempts to synthesize an important precursor, 1,3-dihydroferroceno[c]thiophene to our target molecule, ferroceno[c]thiophene. In order to achieve our target precursor molecule, 1,3-dihydroferroceno[c]thiophene, we reacted 1,2-di(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene with H2S/H2SO4 and Na2S/HBF4 respectively. Reaction of 1,2-di(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene with either H2S/H2SO4 or Na2S/HBF4 results in 2,16-dithia[3.3](1,2)ferrocenophane instead of monomeric 1,3-dihydroferroceno[c]thiophene. Dehydration of 1,2-di(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene with dilute H2SO4 resulted in 2,16-dioxa[3.3](1,2)ferrocenophane. Formation of the five-membered tetrahydrothiophene or tetrahydrofuran rings is probably disfavored compared to formation of the ten-membered ferrocenophane rings because of greater strain in the five-membered rings. Thus, in order to achieve our target molecule ferroceno[c]thiophene, we took an alternate route. We decided to pursue the route with 1,4-dihydro-2,3-ferrocenodithiin being the precursor to our final target molecule. This was successfully accomplished. 1,2-Di(hydroxymethyl)ferrocene reacts with thiourea in the presence of catalytic trifluoroacetic acid to give a water-soluble thiouronium salt, which reacts with aqueous potassium hydroxide in air to give 1,4-dihydro-2,3-ferrocenodithiin, via oxidation of the intermediate 1,2 di(mercaptomethyl)ferrocene. 1,4-dihydro-2,3-ferrocenodithiin, an important precursor to our desired heterocyclic chemistry was synthesized. The increased emission of CO2, a greenhouse gas, to the atmosphere is a matter of serious worldwide concern. Every year a few gigatons of CO2 are added to the atmosphere by various anthropogenic activities like burning of fuel for electricity, running industry and transportation. Thus, developing ways to reduce the emission of CO2 to the atmosphere is of major importance. Although the amine-based absorption method is considered the most reliable, it is an expensive alternative. The catalyzed enhancement of CO2 absorption is a critical component to reduce the capital cost of CO2 capture. Specifically, an effective catalyst will increase the CO2 hydration rate, thereby decreasing the size of the absorber tower needed. In biological systems, CO2 hydration is catalyzed by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which contains ZnII in its active site. Carbonic anhydrase typically is not stable enough to be used in an industrial process, therefore, there is a need to synthesize robust, inexpensive CO2 hydration catalysts. Majority work of this dissertation focuses on designing catalysts that show high CO2 hydration rate similar to carbonic anhydrase while showing superiority towards temperature, pH and inhibitors. We focused our efforts on complexes of Zn, Cu and Co with ligands such as 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen), 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (teta and tetb), tris(benzimidazolylmethyl)amine (BIMA) and anionic tris(pyrazolylborate)s that mimic the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase. Several of these complexes have been reported for their interesting CO2 capture properties but they contain hazardous perchlorate ion. We desired to replace them with benign, non-coordinating counterions like PF6-, BF4-, Cl-, CH3COO-, NO3-, CF3SO3-, SiF62- that avoid the potentially explosive perchlorate salts. In order to test the activity of synthesized catalysts under industrial capture conditions, we designed a quick experimental screening pH drop method. [[Zn(cyclen)(H2O)][SiF6]•2H2O as well as a number of other catalysts have been synthesized and tested for their post-combustion CO2 capture enhancement capabilities in aqueous solvent mixtures under both pH-drop screening and stopped-flow conditions. [Zn(cyclen)(H2O)][SiF6]•2H2O, which has an unreactive counteranion, is found to catalyze CO2 hydration in aqueous solvent mixtures under both pH-drop screening and stopped-flow conditions. However, under pH-drop which has conditions similar to industrial post combustion capture, activity of Zn(cyclen)(H2O)][SiF6]•2H2O drops as compared to observed in stopped-flow conditions probably because of bicarbonate coordination to Zn active site in these systems. The Zn center is highly electron deficient and therefore easily coordinates anions, inhibiting the ability to reform hydroxyl species on the metal. Thus, we decided to test the catalysis of benchmark enzyme carbonic anhydrase under similar conditions to determine the threshold value. Carbonic anhydrases catalyze the hydration of carbondioxide at ambient temperatures and physiological pH with the highest known rate constant= 106 M–1 s–1, but in our system (CAER pH drop screening) came out to be 438797 M–1 s–1. The lower catalytic rate constant for carbonic anhydrase in 0.1000 M K2CO3, similar to Zn-cyclen, strengthens the conjecture that at high bicarbonate concentrations, HCO3– binding to the Zn(II) active site slows catalysis by inhibiting bicarbonate displacement with water to regenerate the active species. The complexes containing anionic ligands that donate electron density into the metal center may serve to remove anionic bicarbonates/carbamates from the secondary coordination sphere and away from the metal center, thereby facilitating bicarbonate/anion dissociation and increasing CO2 hydration rates. We studied catalysis of trispyrazolylborate molecule in 30% MEA and found the molecule to be catalytically active. We also developed an NMR-based method to see if the coordination of solvents to CO2 capture solvents can be studied.

<p>One important driving force in nanotechnology today is the change which can be made in the properties of a material when the dimensions of its individual building blocks are decreased below approximately 100 nm. Such small building blocks, typically nanoparticles, may induce new and unique properties compared to those of the corresponding bulk material. The challenge in nanotechnology is to make nanoparticles with a discrete particle size within the range 1-10 nm. It is also important to develop appropriate assembly methodologies in order to construct devices composed of such small building blocks.</p><p>This thesis reports iron nanoparticle synthesis using laser-assisted photolysis of ferrocene. The particles were protected against oxidation by a carbon shell formed in situ during their growth. By varying the experimental conditions such as fluence, repetition rate and laser beam area, particles could be synthesized in the size range 1 to 100 nm. Their size was measured using a differential mobility analyser (DMA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). DMA was also used successfully to size-select particles to facilitate the deposition of monodisperse nanoparticle films.</p><p>A theoretical "residence time approach (RTA)" model was developed to relate particle volume to the laser parameters used. The growth of these particles was studied in situ using optical emission spectroscopy; the results were compared with those from quantum mechanical calculations. The particles were characterised ex situ by TEM, convergent beam electron diffraction, XRD, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Results from the TEM investigations revealed that the carbon shell was graphitic close to the iron core, while the outer part of the carbon shell was amorphous, indicating different growth mechanisms. Both bcc and fcc iron particles were observed. </p>

Graduation date: 1997