Chapter 1 provides a general introduction on the role of bioisosterism of fluorine aiming to improve the pharmacokinetics properties of lead compounds. GABAA receptors specifically, synaptic GABAA receptors, extrasynaptic GABAA receptors and GABAA rho receptors are then presented. Compounds that exhibit agonist and partial agonist effects at these receptors are also discussed. The applications of some compounds as GABAA receptor PET radiotracers are also described. Chapter 2 details the synthesis of two fluorinated analogues of muscimol, fluoromuscimol and trifluoromethylmuscimol. Fluoromuscimol was obtained from the lithiation of a Boc-protected isoxazole followed by in-situ fluorination using NFSI, whereas trilfuoromethylmuscimol was obtained from the coupling of a heteroaryl iodide with trifluoromethylcopper species, which was generated in-situ from MFSDA in the presence of CuI. Fluoromuscimol and trifluoromethylmuscimol were assessed on human synaptic, (α₁β₂γ₂), extrasynaptic, (α₄β₂δ) and ρ₁ subunits of the GABAA receptor. The biological results show that fluoromuscimol exhibits greater maximum response in comparison to GABA at the extrasynaptic GABAA receptors (α₄β₂δ), but lower overall potency, whereas trifluoromethylmuscimol was inactive at all the tested GABAA receptors. Chapter 3 discusses the synthesis and late stage fluorination of diaryliodonium salts as precursors to fluoromuscimol. Application of iodonium salts as precursors for nucleophilic fluorination in PET studies are also highlighted. The last part of this chapter focuses on the synthesis of iodomuscimol as a potential alternative SPECT radiotracer to fluoromuscimols in probing GABA binding sites on GABAA receptors.

The processing of minerals containing tantalum and niobium is a challenge that has most modern researchers focused on optimising the processes that have already reached scientific maturity. Ore digestion in aqueous mixtures of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid, followed by selective liquid-liquid extraction, is the method of choice for recovery of tantalum and niobium from the parent minerals. As this method has significant environmental and practical drawbacks, there is a need for a new process to beneficiate these minerals. The Advanced Metals Initiative (AMI) programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) proposes that no tantalum or niobium values should leave South Africa without some degree of local beneficiation. A significant strategic advantage may be gained from developing a process which is economically viable and more environmentally friendly. This thesis proposes a technology which would circumvent many of the drawbacks of wet chemical systems. The proposed technology would use anhydrous fluorinating gases (HF(g) and F2) to convert the oxidic minerals to oxyfluorides and/or fluorides, followed by thermal separation. Since little is known about the reaction between the fluorinating agents mentioned and the ores containing Ta/Nb, a detailed study of these reactions and possible products for the current concept is realised. Oxyfluorides are the most probable intermediates during the fluorination process. As part of the research, the most likely oxyfluoride intermediates were synthesised. The details of their spectral and crystallographic properties are discussed. Their thermal properties were investigated; this showed that oxyfluorides can be used to develop a thermal separation process in either the high temperature (600-900 ºC) or low temperature region (150-200 ºC). Thermogravimetric analysis also suggests a difference in the decomposition pathways for niobium and tantalum oxyfluorides. Dioxyfluoride is the most stable of the oxyfluorides and is a necessary byproduct, regardless of which other oxyfluoride is synthesised, and may occur even during the synthesis of the pentafluorides. It was therefore considered imperative to understand the decomposition kinetics of the dioxyfluoride compounds, to calculate the decomposition activation energies, and to construct physical decomposition models for these compounds. By means of mechanistic methods, it is shown that the decomposition of the oxyfluorides occurs via Avrami-Erofeev A2 or A3 models and that for this process the activation energy for TaO2F (320 kJ.mol-1) is roughly double that for NbO2F (156 kJ.mol-1). Once the characterisation of the possible reaction intermediates had been completed, the reaction and interaction of F2 and anhydrous HF with pure metal oxides of Ta and Nb were investigated. To this end, both thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry were employed. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that for both these fluorinating agents, the corresponding pentafluorides were the preferred (indeed the only) reaction products, though the experimental results showed that a whole range of oxyfluorides form. The data collected showed no evidence of a two-step mechanism, as has been observed for Nb2O5, for the fluorination of Ta2O5 with elemental fluorine. However, in both cases the rate-limiting step is governed by the contracting volume (R3) mechanistic. The activation energy for the Ta2O5 + F2 reaction is 63-67 kJ.mol-1, and leads to the formation of the pentafluoride without detectable oxyfluoride formation. A single ore containing tantalum and niobium was selected for study and characterised prior to evaluating its reaction with the chosen fluorinating gases. As the reaction products have a substantially more complex matrix, they were shown to be far less self-evident than in the studies conducted on the pure oxides. Nevertheless, it is shown that separation using this methodology is indeed feasible. Aided by techniques such as SEM and ICP-OES, it could be shown that physical and chemical changes occur in the mineral during the fluorination reaction. The concluding chapter considers the information assimilated during this study and provides likely scenarios for a process based on the selective volatilisation of tantalum and niobium fluorides and oxyfluorides. Two likely processes are postulated, the first one involving partial fluorination and sublimation, the second one complete fluorination to the pentafluoride. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Chemical Engineering / PhD / Unrestricted

Examinations of the effects of (a.) alkyl carbon chain length and (b.) perfluorination of acyl chlorides; propionyl chloride, butyryl chloride, valeroyl chloride, and perfluorinated acyl chlorides; perfluoropropionyl chloride and perfluorobutyryl chloride, are reported and compared using CP-FTMW spectroscopy. All of these molecules are already published in various journals except for valeroyl chloride. The chapters are organized by molecule alkyl chain length and include some background theory. Conformational stability, internal rotation, helicity, and ionic character of the C-Cl bond via the nuclear electric quadrupole coupling constant (χzz) are analyzed. Results show syn, syn-anti/syn-gauche, and syn-anti-anti/syn-gauche-anti stable conformations. Internal rotation was only seen in propionyl chloride. Helicity was not observed. (χzz) was observed to be inert to alkyl chain length, ~ 60 MHz and ~ 65 MHz for the nonfluorinated and fluorinated acyl chlorides. Partial fluorination and varying functional groups are recommended.

Yes / Fluorine substitution is an established tool in medicinal chemistry to favourably alter the molecular properties of a lead compound of interest. However, gaps still exist in the library of synthetic methods for accessing certain fluorine-substituted motifs. One such area is the fluoromethyl group, particularly when required in a fluoroalkylating capacity. The cold fluorination of methylene ditosylate is under evaluated in the literature, often proceeding with low yields or harsh conditions. This report describes a novel microwave method for the rapid nucleophilic fluorination of methylene ditosylate using inexpensive reagents in good isolated yield (65%).

Die stöchiometrische Aktivierung von Trifluormethylschwefelpentafluorid mit dem Carben SIMes (1,3-Bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) wird thermisch und photochemisch beschrieben. Beide Formen der Aktivierung führen zur Detektion von 1,3-dimesityl-2,2-difluoroimidazolidin (SIMesF2), 1,3-dimesitylimidazolidin-2-sulfid (SIMes=S) und 1,3-dimesityl-2-fluoro-2-trifluoromethylimidazolidin (SIMes(CF3)F). Die Aktivierung von SF5CF3 wurde mit Radikalabfang-Experimenten untersucht, wobei die Ergebnisse auf die Bildung von CF3-Radikalen in der photochemischen Reaktion, nicht aber in der thermischen Reaktion hindeuten. Mechanistisch wird ein Einelektronentransfer von SIMes auf SF5CF3 postuliert. Weiterhin wurde die Reaktivität von SIMesF2 als Deoxyfluorierungsreagenz für verschiedene organische Substrate beobachtet. Zur mechanistischen Aufklärung der Acylfluorid-Synthese wurde das Imidazolidiniumsalz [SIMes-F]+F(HF)2- synthetisiert. Letzteres reagiert mit Benzoesäure zu Benzoylfluorid. Quantenmechanische Rechnungen bestätigen die These, dass ein externes Polyhydrogenfluorid für die Fluorierung der Benzoesäure verantwortlich ist. Anschließend wurde eine photoredoxkatalytische Trifluormethylierungen von Aromaten entwickelt. Ebenso wie bei der stöchiometrischen SF5CF3 Aktivierung wurde auch im Falle der photoredoxkatalytischen Aktivierung ein Einelektronentransfer auf SF5CF3 durch Oxidation des angeregten Katalysators oder Reduktion des zuvor oxidierten Katalysators vorgeschlagen. Experimentelle Untersuchungen des Mechanismus deuten auf die Entstehung von CF3-Radikalen, SF4 und Schwefel hin. Durch die Zugabe von Octanol zur Reaktionsmischung konnte die Bildung von Fluoroctan neben der Bildung von trifluormethylierten Aromaten erzielt werden. Dies deutet auf die Entstehung von Schwefeltetrafluorid hin und zeigt, dass SF5CF3 gleichzeitig als CF3-Quelle und als Quelle für SF4 dienen kann. / The stoichiometric activation of trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride with the carbene SIMes (1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) is described thermally and photochemically. Both forms of activation lead to the detection of 1,3-dimesityl-2,2-difluoroimidazolidine (SIMesF2), 1,3-dimesitylimidazolidine-2-sulfide (SIMes=S) and 1,3-dimesityl-2-fluoro-2-trifluoromethylimidazolidine (SIMes(CF3)F). The activation of SF5CF3 was investigated by radical scavenging experiments, and the results indicate the formation of CF3 radicals in the photochemical reaction but not in the thermal reaction. Mechanistically, a one-electron transfer from SIMes to SF5CF3 is postulated. Furthermore, the reactivity of SIMesF2 as a deoxyfluorination reagent for several organic substrates was observed. The imidazolidinium salt [SIMes-F]+F(HF)2- was synthesized for the mechanistic investigation of the acyl fluoride synthesis. The latter reacts with benzoic acid to form benzoyl fluoride. Quantum mechanical calculations confirm that an external polyhydrogen fluoride is responsible for the fluorination of benzoic acid. Subsequently, a photoredox catalytic trifluoromethylation of aromatic compounds was developed. As in the case of stoichiometric SF5CF3 activation, a one-electron transfer to SF5CF3 by oxidation of the excited catalyst or reduction of the previously oxidized catalyst was also proposed in the case of photoredox catalytic activation. Experimental studies indicate the formation of CF3 radicals, SF4 and sulfur. The addition of octanol to the reaction mixture results in the formation of fluorooctane in addition to the formation of trifluoromethylated aromatics. This indicates the formation of sulfur tetrafluoride and shows that SF5CF3 can simultaneously serve as a CF3 source and as a source of SF4.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis describes investigations into the utility of boron fluorides and tetrafluoroborates as sources of nucleophilic fluorine. Chapter 1 discusses the history and importance of the field of organofluorine chemistry and outlines some of the principle motivations for the site-selective fluorination of organic molecules. Some of the most commonly useed methods of nucleophilic fluorination are briefly surveyed, with an emphasis on the formation of fluorinated stereogenic centres. Literature precedent for the use of tetrafluoroborates and boron trifluoride as nucleophilic fluorinating agents is also presented. Chapter 2 describes the development of a highly regio- and stereoselective S_Ni-type ring-opening fluorination of trans-β-substituted aryl epoxides using BF₃●OEt₂ as a nucleophilic fluorinating agent. This robust and scalable protocol grants efficient access to a variety of functionalised benzylic fluoride building blocks, and provides a solution to the problem of stereocontrol in the synthesis of this class of compounds. To highlight the utility of the resultant syn-fluorohydrins in the synthesis of stereodefined β-fluoro β-aryl amines, their elaboration to a range of aryl-substituted β-fluoroamphetamines is demonstrated. Chapter 3 introduces the concept of tuning the reactivity of BF₃ by replacing one or two of the fluoro ligands on boron for electron-donating alkoxy group(s). On this basis, pinacolatoboron fluoride (pinBF) [which may be prepared in situ by pre-mixing BF₃●OEt₂ and bis(O-trimethylsilyl)pinacol] is identified as a superior reagent to BF₃●OEt₂ for the ring-opening fluorination of trans-β-substituted aryl epoxides bearing electron-rich aryl groups. Chapter 4 details a highly regioselective and stereospecific S_N2-type ring-opening fluorination of 2,3- and 3,4-epoxy amines using HBF₄●OEt₂ as a nucleophilic flurine source. The reactions are both operationally simple to perform and readily scalable, and proceed to completion within 5 min at ambient temperature, providing a highly practical and economical route to stereodefined amino fluorohydrins. To highlight the synthetic utility of this reaction in the preparation of pharmaceutically-important β-fluoro amines, a concise de novo asymmetric synthesis of (S,S)-3-deoxy-3-fluorosafingol is performed. Chapter 5 chronicles the successful development of a protocol for the direct hydroxyfluorination of allylic amines to the corresponding amino fluorohydrins, using m--CPBA as the oxidant and HBF₄●OEt₂ in a dual role as both the Brønstead acid N-protecting agent and nucleophilic fluorine source. With chiral allylic amines which are conformationally biased or constrained, the diastereofacial selectivity of the reaction can be controlled by altering the concentration of HBF₄●OEt₂ employed in the reaction, allowing for a diastereodivergent hydroxyfluorination process. The synthetic utility of this methodology is demonstrated via its application to the diastereodivergent synthesis of 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-L-xylo-phytosphingosine and 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-L-lyxo-phytosphingosine, each in 5 steps from Garner's aldehyde. Chapter 6 contains full experimental procedures and characterisation data for all compounds synthesised in chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5.

A Series of fluorophores of the general formular P(CF2)nP and P(CF2)n-1CF3 has been synthesized. Copper catalyzed coupling of 1-bromopyrene and the corresponding mono and di-iodoperfluoroalkanes were used in most cases. For the n=3 dimer, a novel 1,w-perfluoroalkylation of pyrene via bis-decarboxylation of hexafluorogultaric acid was utilized. These compounds, along with suitable hydrocarbon analogs, are being used to study the flexibility of fluorocarbon chains using emission. We have found that the excimer formation for the fluorinated pyrene monomers is highly dependent on concentration and is less efficient than for pyene. Excimer formation for the fluorinated pyrene dimers is much more efficient than for the fluorocarbon monomers and is only slightly concentraion dependent. Steady-state emission spectra indicate hydrocarbon dimers-models form excimers more efficiently than the fluorinated dimers suggesting the fluorinated chains are stiffer than the hydrocarbons. We conducted the temperature-dependent studies and quantified the conformational difference.

L'oxazolidine trifluorométhylée (trans-Fox) dérivée du (R)-phénylglycinol a été préparée sous forme diastéréoisomériquement pure par résolution dynamique induite par la cristallisation d'un mélange d'oxazolidines cis et trans.La trans-Fox a été utilisée avec succès comme auxiliaire chiral pour des réactions d'hydroxylation par l'oxygène moléculaire et de fluoration électrophile d'énolates d'amide ainsi qu'en réarrangement sigmatropique [2,3] d'amines allyliques. Après clivage, des composés énantiomériquement purs d'une grande importance synthétique sont obtenus.Une voie d'accès à des pyrrolydines trifluorométhylées chirales a été mise au point à partir de la trans-Fox. La trans 2-phenyl-5-trifluoromethylpyrrolidine a été utilisée comme auxiliaire chiral pour des réactions d'alkylation asymétriques. / The trifluoromethylated oxazolidine (trans-Fox) derived from (R)-phenylglycinol was prepared as a single diastereoisomer by a cristallisation induced dynamic resolution of a mixture of cis and trans oxazolidines.The trans-Fox was used with success as a chiral auxiliary for hydroxylation by oxygen and electrophilic fluorination of amide enolates reactions and [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangements of allylic amines. After deprotection, very synthetically useful enantiomerically pure compounds were obtained.An acces to chiral trifluoromethylated pyrrolidines was developped starting from trans-Fox. The trans 2-phenyl-5-trifluoromethylpyrrolidine was used as a chiral auxiliary for asymmetric alkylation reactions.