Catalysis is a key area of chemistry. Through catalysis it is possible to achieve better synthetic routes, exploit molecules normally considered to be inactive and also attain novel chemical transformations. The development of new catalysts is crucial to furthering chemistry as a field. Computational chemistry, arising from applying the equations of quantum and classical mechanics to solving chemical problems, offers an essential route to investigating the underlying atomistic detail of catalysis. In this thesis calculations have been applied towards studying a number of different catalytic processes. The processing of renewable chemical sources via homogeneous reactions, specifically cardanol from cashew nuts, is discussed. All routes examined for monoreduction of a diene model by [Ru(H)(iPrOH)(Cl)(C₆H₆)] and [Ru(H)(iPrOH)(C₆H₆)]⁺ are energetically costly and would allow for total reduction of the diene if they were operating. While this accounts for the need of high temperatures, further work is required to elucidate the true mechanism of this small but surprisingly complex system. Gold-mediated protodecarboxylation was examined in tandem with experiment to find the subtle steric and electronic effects that dictate CO₂ extrusion from gold N-heterocyclic carbene activated benzene-derived carboxylic acids. The origin of a switch in the rate limiting step from decarboxylation to protodeauration with less activated substrates was also clearly demonstrated. Studies of gold systems are closed with examinations of 1,2-difluorobenzene C–H activation and CO₂ insertion by [Au(IPr)(OH)]. Calculations highlight that the proposed mechanism for oxazole-derived substrates cannot be extended to 1,2-difluorobenzene and instead a digold complex offers more congruent predicted kinetics. The lens of quantum chemistry was turned upon palladium-mediated methoxycarbonylation reactions. An extensive study was undertaken to attempt to understand the bidentate diphosphine ligand dependency on forming either methylpropanoate (MePro) or copolymers. Mechanisms currently suggested in literature are shown to be incongruous with the formation of MePro by Pd(OAc)₂ and bulky diphosphines. A possible alternative route is proposed in this thesis. Four mechanisms for methoxycarbonylation with Pd(2-PyPPh₂)ₙ are detailed. The most accessible route is found to be congruent with experimental reports of selectivity, acid dependency and slight steric modifications. A modification of 2-PyPPh₂ to 2-(4-NMe₂-6-Me)PyPPh₂ is shown to improve both selectivity and turnover, the latter by four orders of magnitude (highest transition state from 22.9 kcal/mol to 16.7 kcal/mol ∆G), and this new second generation in silico designed ligand is studied for its applicability to wider substrate scope and different solvents. The final chapter of this thesis is a mixed quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) examination of an enzymatic reaction, discussing the need for certain conditions and the role of particular amino acid residues in an S[sub]N2 hydrolysis reaction.

Au cours de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'activation de liaisons sp² et sp³ C-H catalysée par le palladium pour la préparation d'(hétéro)aryl-aryles et de biaryles. Cette méthode est considérée comme attractive pour l'environnement par rapport aux méthodes classiques, tels que Suzuki, Heck, ou Negishi. Tout d'abord, nous avons décrit que la C2-arylation directe de benzothiophènes peut être effectuée par un catalyseur du palladium en l'absence de ligand phosphine avec une grande sélectivité. Nous avons également démontré qu'il est possible d'activer les positions C2 et C5 de pyrroles pour accéder en une seule étape a des 2,5-diarylpyrroles. Des 2,5-diarylpyrroles non-symétriques ont été formés par arylation séquentielle en C2 suivie par une arylation en C5. Nous avons également étudié la réactivité de polychlorobenzenes pour l'activation de liaisons C-H catalysé au palladium. Nous avons finalement étudié l'activation sp² et sp³ sélective catalysé au palladium de liaisons C-H du guaiazulene. La sélectivité de la réaction dépend du solvant et de la base : C2-arylation (KOAc en éthylbenzène), C3-arylation (KOAc dans le DMAc) et C4-Me arylation (CsOAc/K₂CO₃ dans le DMAc). Grâce à cette méthode, une liaison sp³ C-H peu réactive a été activée. / During this thesis, we were interested in the sp² and sp³ C-H bond activation catalyzed by palladium catalysts for the preparation of (hetero)aryl-aryls and biaryls. This method is considered as cost effective and environmentally attractive compared to the classical couplings such as Suzuki, Heck, or Negishi. First we described the palladium-catalyzed direct C2-arylation of benzothiophene in the absence of phosphine ligand with high selectivity. We also demonstrated that it is possible to active both C2 and C5 C-H bonds for access to 2,5-diarylated compounds in one step, and also to non-symmetrically substituted 2,5-diarylpyrroles via sequential C2 arylation followed by C5 arylation. We also studied the reactivity of polychlorobenzenes via palladium-catalyzed C-H activation. We finally examined the palladium-catalysed selective sp² and sp³ C-H bond activation of guaiazulene. The selectivity depends on the solvent and base: sp² C2-arylation (KOAc in ethylbenzene), sp² C3-arylation (KOAc in DMAc) and sp³ C4-Me arylation (CsOAc/K₂CO₃ in DMAc). Through this method, a challenging sp³ C-H bond was activated.

Neste trabalho foram sintetizados ésteres etílicos do óleo de babaçu através da catálise alcalina em meio homogêneo. O planejamento de experimentos foi utilizado como ferramenta de otimização e também na identificação dos principais fatores que influenciam nas conversões em ésteres etílicos. As reações de transesterificação foram realizadas através de duas metodologias de processo - a tradicional com agitação mecânica e a promovida por ondas ultrassônicas. A espectrometria de ressonância magnética nuclear foi utilizada na quantificação das conversões de todos os experimentos e a análise termogravimétrica foi empregada na determinação da pureza dos ésteres etílicos e do principal subproduto da reação - o glicerol. Matrizes ortogonais de Taguchi foram utilizadas para o desenvolvimento deste estudo. Os fatores independentes avaliados na transesterificação tradicional foram: razão molar etanol/óleo, temperatura, turbulência, razão ponderal catalisador/óleo, tempo e os tipos de catalisadores mais comumente empregados (NaOH e KOH). Os ensaios envolvendo a transesterificação clássica foram realizados sob atmosfera de nitrogênio e também sob atmosfera normal. Com o método sonoquímico foram avaliados os fatores: razão molar, tempo, razão ponderal catalisador/óleo e tipo de catalisador. O delineamento experimental mostrou que o principal fator a influenciar nas conversões em ésteres etílicos com ambos os métodos é a razão molar. Destaca-se ainda na transesterificação alcalina tradicional, a influência das interações entre a temperatura e o tempo, mostrando que melhores conversões são obtidas com temperaturas próximas a ambiente (27 a 30ºC). De acordo com o modelo obtido através do delineamento experimental, conversões superiores a 99% são obtidas quando a razão estequiométrica é ajustada em 6:1, utilizando-se 1,0% de KOH, sob agitação mecânica a 400rpm durante 60min. A influência da atmosfera de nitrogênio mostrou-se pouco significativa para a reação e conversões semelhantes foram obtidas com atmosfera normal. A transesterificação alcalina assistida por ondas ultrassônicas apresentou os melhores resultados em relação ao tempo de reação e de separação entre as fases glicerínica e de ésteres etílicos. O modelo experimental mostrou que conversões superiores a 99% podem ser obtidas em 10 minutos ajustando as variáveis independentes nos seguintes valores: razão estequiométrica em 6:1 com 1,0% de KOH. Em ambos os métodos o catalisador KOH mostrou-se superior ao NaOH, especialmente durante as etapas de purificação. A estratégia de purificação dos ésteres etílicos adotada consistiu na utilização de um solvente (hexano) e lavagens com HCl 0,1 mol.L-1 que foi otimizada para 12,5% de solução em relação ao peso de ésteres obtidos, coletados logo após a separação de fases. O rendimento mássico obtido com o modelo experimental, após procedimentos de lavagens mencionados, foi de 94,59%. O trabalho demonstrou que o processo de obtenção de biodiesel de babaçu apresenta ótimos rendimentos desde que os parâmetros de reação sejam otimizados. A sonoquímica mostrou-se potencialmente promissora para obtenção de elevadas conversões em curtos intervalos de tempo. / In this work ethyl esters of babassu oil were synthesized by alkaline catalysis in homogeneous medium. The experimental design was used as a tool for optimization of the transesterification reaction and also in identifying key factors influencing the conversion into ethyl esters. The transesterification reactions were performed using two methods of process - the traditional mechanical agitation and agitation promoted by sound waves. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to quantify the conversion of all reactions of transesterification and thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the purity of ethyl esters and the main byproduct of the reaction - the glycerol. Taguchi orthogonal arrays were used to develop this study. The independent factors evaluated in the transesterification traditional were: molar ratio ethanol / oil, temperature, stirring speed, weight ratio catalyst / oil, time and the types of most commonly used catalysts (NaOH and KOH). The classical experiments involving the transesterification were performed under nitrogen atmosphere and also under normal atmosphere. With the sonochemical method were evaluated the following factors: molar ratio, time, weight ratio catalyst / oil and type of catalyst. The experiment showed that the main factor influencing the conversion into ethyl esters in both methods is the molar ratio. The best conversion results were obtained with twice the stoichiometric quantity. Also noteworthy in the traditional alkaline transesterification is the influence of interactions between temperature and time, showing that the best conversions are obtained with temperatures close to ambient (30°C) in 60 minutes. According to the model obtained by the experimental design, conversions above 99% are obtained when the stoichiometric ratio is set at 6:1, with 1.0% KOH, under stirring at 400 rpm. The influence of nitrogen atmosphere was less significant for the reaction and similar conversions were obtained with normal atmosphere. Alkaline transesterification assisted by sound waves produced the best results with respect to time of reaction and phase separation of glycerin and ethyl esters. The experimental model showed that conversions above 99% can be obtained in 10 minutes by adjusting the independent variables in the following values: in the stoichiometric ratio 6:1 with 1.0% KOH. In both methods the KOH catalyst was superior to NaOH, influence also noted during the purification steps. Experimentally it was found that the formation of emulsions and gels are more frequent with the use of the sodium hydroxide catalyst. The strategy for purification of ethyl esters adopted was the use of a solvent (hexane) and washing with HCl 0.1 mol.L- 1 that was optimized for 12.5% solution by weight of esters obtained, collected just after phase separation. The mass yield obtained with the experimental model, after washing procedures mentioned, was 94.59%. The study showed that the process of obtaining babassu biodiesel has good yields since the reaction parameters are optimized. The sonochemical proved to be potentially promising for achieving high yields in short time, which might be an excellent route for production aiming to meet the high market demands.

Les métalloenzymes d’origine naturelle constituent une riche source d’inspiration pour la conception de catalyseurs synthétiques en raison de leur capacité à réaliser des réactions d’oxydation sélective dans des conditions douces. Parmi ces métalloenzymes, les amine-oxydases à cuivre (CuAOs) permettent l’oxydation sélective des amines primaires grâce à la coopération d’un catalyseur organique quinonique (topaquinone) et d’un ion cuivrique. Récemment, un regain d’intérêt s’est manifesté pour le développement de catalyseurs biomimétiques permettant l’oxydation des amines en imines à l’air ambiant, en raison de l’importance des imines comme intermédiaires de synthèse en chimie fine et en pharmacologie. Au laboratoire, un système co-catalytique mimant l’activité des CuAOs a été décrit pour l’oxydation, à l’air ambiant, des amines primaires en imines, permettant une forte économie d’atomes. Le procédé catalytique comprend deux couples redox comparables à ceux des CuAOs : le catalyseur organique o-iminoquinonique 1ox, généré in situ à partir de l’o-aminophénol correspondant 1red, est le véritable catalyseur de l’oxydation de l’amine substrat, tandis que le sel de cuivre (II) sert de médiateur redox. Il est intéressant de noter que de faibles quantités de sel de cuivre (II) biocompatible et de catalyseur organique 1ox suffisent à activer la liaison C-H située en α de la fonction NH2 des amines primaires aliphatiques, qui sont converties, à l’air ambiant, en imines issues du couplage hétérolytique, à l’issue d’un processus de transamination qui conduit à l’imine résultant du couplage homolytique, suivi d’une réaction de transimination. Les conditions douces utilisées sont particulièrement intéressantes d’un point de vue synthétique, notamment pour engager les alkylimines instables in situ dans des réactions subséquentes. Aussi, avons-nous envisagé d’utiliser ce système co-catalytique bioinspiré dans la synthèse one-pot d’hétérocycles d’intérêt pharmacologique. Dans la première partie de la thèse, nous avions l’intention d’utiliser le système co-catalytique Cu(II)/1ox dans la synthèse de nouveaux dérivés de la 1,4-benzoxazine. Dans le cas particulier des amines primaires de type R1R2CHCH2NH2, le processus catalytique se trouvait bloqué après un certain nombre de cycles catalytiques en raison de l’engagement du catalyseur 1ox dans une réaction de Diels-Alder à demande électronique inverse avec la forme énamine tautomère de l’imine éliminée au cours du processus catalytique, conduisant ainsi aux dérivés de la 1,4-benzoxazine. Toutefois, l’utilisation de ce procédé s’avéra un échec, les énamines générées étant trop instables à l’air ambiant pour permettre l’isolement des dérivés de la 1,4-benzoxazine avec des rendements acceptables. Nous avons ainsi été amenés à développer une réaction alternative en tandem : les dérivés o-aminophénols sont oxydés dans le méthanol sous atmosphère d’azote, à l’aide d’une quantité stoechiométrique de dioxyde de manganèse activé, en o-iminoquinones. Ces hétérodiènes sont ensuite piégés in situ par différentes énamines diénophiles pour conduire aux dérivés de la 1,4-benzoxazine attendus, dans des conditions douces. La possibilité d’introduire des éléments de diversité dans chacun des partenaires de la cycloaddition permet de préparer des dérivés de la 1,4-benzoxazine hautement substitués. Parmi ces composés, un dérivé présentant deux groupements phényle en position 3 s’est avéré présenter une activité neuroprotectrice notable chez la souris nouveau-né, faisant de lui un candidat potentiel pour le traitement et la prévention de la paralysie cérébrale du nouveau-né. Dans la seconde partie de la thèse, le système co-catalytique Cu(II)/1ox est utilisé dans une réaction de couplage oxydatif d’amines primaires, activées ou non, avec des o-aminoanilines conduisant ainsi à des dérivés du benzimidazole d’intérêt biologique au travers d’un procédé multi-étapes. (...) / Naturally occurring metalloenzymes constitute a rich source of inspiration for the design of synthetic catalysts because of their ability to perform controlled aerobic oxidations under very mild conditions. Among metalloenzymes, copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) promote selective aerobic oxidation of primary amines through the cooperation of a quinone-based cofactor (topaquinone) and a copper ion. Recently, there has been a boost in the development of biomimetic catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of amines to imines owing to the importance of imines as pivotal intermediates in the synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. In our laboratory, a CuAOs-like homogeneous co-catalytic system has been described for the atom-economical oxidation of primary amines to imines, under ambient air. The catalytic process combines two redox couples in a way reminiscent of CuAOs: the o-iminoquinone organocatalyst 1ox, generated in situ from the corresponding o-aminophenol 1red, is the substrate-selective catalyst, whereas the copper (II) salt serves as an electron transfer mediator. Interestingly, low loadings of biocompatible CuII and organocatalyst 1ox are sufficient to activate the α-C-H bond of primary aliphatic amines, which are converted, under ambient air, into cross-coupled imines through a transamination process that leads to the homocoupled imine intermediate, followed by dynamic transimination. The mild reaction conditions are highly favorable from a synthetic viewpoint, in particular for trapping the unstable alkylimines in situ for further reactions. So, we have envisioned the use of this bioinspired co-catalytic system in the one-pot synthesis of heterocycles of pharmacological interest. In the first part of the thesis, we envisioned that the Cu(II)/1ox cooperative system might be utilized to synthesize novel 1,4-benzoxazine derivatives. In the specific case of R1R2CHCH2NH2 amines, the catalytic process should stop after a few turnovers, because the catalyst 1ox should be trapped through inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction with the simultaneously in situ generated tautomeric enamine form of the alkylimine extruded during the catalytic process, leading to 1,4-benzoxazine derivatives. Unfortunately, this protocol failed to produce the expected cycloadducts in acceptable yields as enamines rapidly decomposed under ambient air. For this reason, we have developed a tandem oxidation-inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction as an alternative: a stoichiometric amount of activated MnO2, in deaerated methanol, was then sufficient to convert various o-aminophenol derivatives into o-iminoquinone heterodienes which were trapped in situ by different enamine dienophiles leading to the expected 1,4-benzoxazine derivatives under mild conditions. The possibility of introducing variations in both cycloaddition partners led to highly substituted 1,4-benzoxazine cycloadducts with up to five elements of diversity. Among these compounds, a 3,3-diphenyl-substituted-1,4-benzoxazine derivative was identified as an effective neuroprotective agent in newborn mice, suggesting that it could be a potential candidate for the treatment and prevention of cerebral palsy. In the second part of the thesis, the Cu(II)/1ox cooperative system has been successfully used for the catalytic oxidative coupling of a diverse range of activated and non-activated primary amines with o-amino-anilines under ambient air leading to benzimidazoles of biological interest through multistep oxidation and nucleophilic addition reactions. Through the variation of both solvent and coupling partners, MeOH proved to be the best solvent for this transformation because it provided the ideal balance of 1ox solvation and reaction rate, except when reactive N-alkyl o-aminoanilines were used as in situ imine traps, due to the concomitant formation of a benzimidazole byproduct originated from MeOH itself. (...)

The two stage Lucite Alpha Process for the industrial manufacturing of methyl methacrylate (MMA) represents one of the most efficient technologies currently available for the large scale production of this important chemical commodity. The second stage of this process, which involves the condensation of methyl propanoate (MeP) with formaldehyde over a heterogeneous fixed bed catalyst, however, still shows great scope for improvement. Herein the development of a novel homogeneous catalytic system that would promote the condensation of either propanoic acid or MeP with formaldehyde is explored. Since C–C bond forming reactions which proceed via C–H activation pathways typically display high atom efficiency, our efforts were particularly focussed on employing a functionalisation strategy that is mediated by C–H activation. In the case of propanoic acid, the possibility of achieving regioselective α-methylenation by linking the substrate to phosphorus was evaluated. Thus, a series of acyloxyphosphines and acylphosphites derived from either propionic acid or phenylacetic acid was prepared and, where stability allowed, fully characterised. Some of the resultant simple mixed anhydrides posed problems relating to their stability, and the stabilisation of such ligand systems by using electronic and / or steric effects was therefore explored. In addition, the coordination chemistry and in solution behaviour of Rh(I) and Ru(II) complexes containing these ligands was examined. Similar to the free ligands, complexes derived from these mixed anhydrides rearranged in solution via a number of decomposition pathways, with the specific pathway dependent on the nature of the auxiliary ligands. For most of these complexes, however, ligand decarbonylation was the route of preference for decomposition. Despite the instability of these complexes, a selection of Rh(I) mixed anhydride complexes were assessed for their potential as C-H activation catalysts in reactions aimed at the α-methylenation of saturated carboxylic acids. Furthermore, the stabilisation of Rh(I) mixed anhydride complexes with chelating auxilary ligands, such as bisphosphines or N-substituted diphosphinoamines, was explored. In particular, a series of new Rh(I) mixed anhydride complexes containing dppe, dppb and dppbz as secondary ligands were prepared and the effects of these secondary ligands on the in solution stability of these complexes assessed. As MeP represents the final product in the first stage of the Alpha process and not propanoic acid, the utilisation of PNP iridium pincer complexes in the regioselective sp³ C–H activation of MeP and related esters was also examined. The factors that govern the regioselectivity of such reactions were of great interest to us and, in particular, the effects of water on the reactivity and regioselectivity of these reactions were explored. For MeP, preferential C–H activation of the methoxy group was found to proceed under anhydrous conditions and the catalytic functionalisation of this site with ethene using this activation approach was considered. Formaldehyde, employed in the second stage of the Alpha process, is a difficult substance to manufacture and handle, especially on a large scale. A preliminary study on the in situ production of anhydrous formaldehyde via the catalytic dehydrogenation of methanol was therefore performed. During this study, catalytic systems based on carbonate salts and / or transition metal complexes were considered. In the hope of reducing the number of steps required in the production of MMA, a new one-pot cascade reaction for the indirect α-methylenation of MeP with methanol was developed. Although the production of MMA using this system only proceeded with low efficiency, the obtained results serve as an important proof of concept for future developments in this area. Finally, the capacity of a series of simple bases to catalyse the condensation of MeP with formaldehyde was assessed as part of a fundamental study directed towards determining the factors that govern the efficiency of this reaction. In addition, the extent to which each base effects the deprotonation in the α-position of MeP was determined with the aid of deuterium labelling experiments. Similarly, using sodium propanoate as model base a rough estimate of the kinetics of deprotonation could be made based on the degree of deuterium incorporation over time. These studies suggested that the low efficiency of this condensation reaction is not caused by ineffective deprotonation but rather by the weak nucleophilicity of the generated carbanion. For this reason, attempts to increase the electrophilicity of formaldehyde through Mannich-type condensations reactions involving secondary amine and carboxylic acid additives were made.

Neste trabalho foram sintetizados ésteres etílicos do óleo de babaçu através da catálise alcalina em meio homogêneo. O planejamento de experimentos foi utilizado como ferramenta de otimização e também na identificação dos principais fatores que influenciam nas conversões em ésteres etílicos. As reações de transesterificação foram realizadas através de duas metodologias de processo - a tradicional com agitação mecânica e a promovida por ondas ultrassônicas. A espectrometria de ressonância magnética nuclear foi utilizada na quantificação das conversões de todos os experimentos e a análise termogravimétrica foi empregada na determinação da pureza dos ésteres etílicos e do principal subproduto da reação - o glicerol. Matrizes ortogonais de Taguchi foram utilizadas para o desenvolvimento deste estudo. Os fatores independentes avaliados na transesterificação tradicional foram: razão molar etanol/óleo, temperatura, turbulência, razão ponderal catalisador/óleo, tempo e os tipos de catalisadores mais comumente empregados (NaOH e KOH). Os ensaios envolvendo a transesterificação clássica foram realizados sob atmosfera de nitrogênio e também sob atmosfera normal. Com o método sonoquímico foram avaliados os fatores: razão molar, tempo, razão ponderal catalisador/óleo e tipo de catalisador. O delineamento experimental mostrou que o principal fator a influenciar nas conversões em ésteres etílicos com ambos os métodos é a razão molar. Destaca-se ainda na transesterificação alcalina tradicional, a influência das interações entre a temperatura e o tempo, mostrando que melhores conversões são obtidas com temperaturas próximas a ambiente (27 a 30ºC). De acordo com o modelo obtido através do delineamento experimental, conversões superiores a 99% são obtidas quando a razão estequiométrica é ajustada em 6:1, utilizando-se 1,0% de KOH, sob agitação mecânica a 400rpm durante 60min. A influência da atmosfera de nitrogênio mostrou-se pouco significativa para a reação e conversões semelhantes foram obtidas com atmosfera normal. A transesterificação alcalina assistida por ondas ultrassônicas apresentou os melhores resultados em relação ao tempo de reação e de separação entre as fases glicerínica e de ésteres etílicos. O modelo experimental mostrou que conversões superiores a 99% podem ser obtidas em 10 minutos ajustando as variáveis independentes nos seguintes valores: razão estequiométrica em 6:1 com 1,0% de KOH. Em ambos os métodos o catalisador KOH mostrou-se superior ao NaOH, especialmente durante as etapas de purificação. A estratégia de purificação dos ésteres etílicos adotada consistiu na utilização de um solvente (hexano) e lavagens com HCl 0,1 mol.L-1 que foi otimizada para 12,5% de solução em relação ao peso de ésteres obtidos, coletados logo após a separação de fases. O rendimento mássico obtido com o modelo experimental, após procedimentos de lavagens mencionados, foi de 94,59%. O trabalho demonstrou que o processo de obtenção de biodiesel de babaçu apresenta ótimos rendimentos desde que os parâmetros de reação sejam otimizados. A sonoquímica mostrou-se potencialmente promissora para obtenção de elevadas conversões em curtos intervalos de tempo. / In this work ethyl esters of babassu oil were synthesized by alkaline catalysis in homogeneous medium. The experimental design was used as a tool for optimization of the transesterification reaction and also in identifying key factors influencing the conversion into ethyl esters. The transesterification reactions were performed using two methods of process - the traditional mechanical agitation and agitation promoted by sound waves. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to quantify the conversion of all reactions of transesterification and thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the purity of ethyl esters and the main byproduct of the reaction - the glycerol. Taguchi orthogonal arrays were used to develop this study. The independent factors evaluated in the transesterification traditional were: molar ratio ethanol / oil, temperature, stirring speed, weight ratio catalyst / oil, time and the types of most commonly used catalysts (NaOH and KOH). The classical experiments involving the transesterification were performed under nitrogen atmosphere and also under normal atmosphere. With the sonochemical method were evaluated the following factors: molar ratio, time, weight ratio catalyst / oil and type of catalyst. The experiment showed that the main factor influencing the conversion into ethyl esters in both methods is the molar ratio. The best conversion results were obtained with twice the stoichiometric quantity. Also noteworthy in the traditional alkaline transesterification is the influence of interactions between temperature and time, showing that the best conversions are obtained with temperatures close to ambient (30°C) in 60 minutes. According to the model obtained by the experimental design, conversions above 99% are obtained when the stoichiometric ratio is set at 6:1, with 1.0% KOH, under stirring at 400 rpm. The influence of nitrogen atmosphere was less significant for the reaction and similar conversions were obtained with normal atmosphere. Alkaline transesterification assisted by sound waves produced the best results with respect to time of reaction and phase separation of glycerin and ethyl esters. The experimental model showed that conversions above 99% can be obtained in 10 minutes by adjusting the independent variables in the following values: in the stoichiometric ratio 6:1 with 1.0% KOH. In both methods the KOH catalyst was superior to NaOH, influence also noted during the purification steps. Experimentally it was found that the formation of emulsions and gels are more frequent with the use of the sodium hydroxide catalyst. The strategy for purification of ethyl esters adopted was the use of a solvent (hexane) and washing with HCl 0.1 mol.L- 1 that was optimized for 12.5% solution by weight of esters obtained, collected just after phase separation. The mass yield obtained with the experimental model, after washing procedures mentioned, was 94.59%. The study showed that the process of obtaining babassu biodiesel has good yields since the reaction parameters are optimized. The sonochemical proved to be potentially promising for achieving high yields in short time, which might be an excellent route for production aiming to meet the high market demands.

L'usage des pesticides au sein de l'Union européenne est de plus en plus réglementé, et les rodonticides actuellement disponibles sur le marché sont responsables de nombreuses intoxications secondaires chez les prédateurs des rongeurs. Il est donc crucial aujourd'hui de trouver une alternative plus écologique aux molécules commerciales. Les travaux de recherches décrits dans cette thèse s'inscrivent dans ce contexte et présentent la mise au point de nouvelles voies d'accès à des structures coumariniques et leurs études biologiques. La molécule anticoagulante ciblée se devait d'être active sur rats sensibles et résistants, et d'avoir une rémanence faible dans l'organisme. Les synthèses chimiques ont été menées conjointement avec les tests biologiques, conduisant l'ensemble des études de façon convergente vers la production d'un lead. Trois nouveaux outils moléculaires ont été mis au point et ont permis la synthèse et l'évaluation d'un grand nombre de candidats. Les deux premières en catalyse homogène, sous micro-onde, ont permis de réduire le temps réactionnel nécessaire à la synthèse de 4-hydroxycoumarine substituée sur le carbone 3. La troisième méthodologie conduit par une approche séquentielle aux mêmes types de composés à l'échelle du gramme. Cette dernière ouvre également la porte à de nombreuses possibilités réactionnelles permettant d'envisager plus de diversité. Toutes les molécules ont été évaluées in vitro, sur différentes souches d'enzymes VKORC1 et ont offert une meilleure compréhension des interactions enzyme/inhibiteur. Après cette première évaluation, des tests in vivo ont été conduits sur une sélection de composés, et ont apporté des informations cruciales sur les relations structure/activité in vivo et structure/rémanence. Le meilleur composé synthétisé à ce jour semble répondre parfaitement aux différentes contraintes liées au cahier des charges établi initialement qui se basait sur une approche singlefeeding. Une stratégie multifeeding est aujourd'hui envisagée afin de mieux correspondre à la réalité du terrain. Sur la base de celle-ci, le nombre de composés décrit dans ce manuscrit potentiellement utilisable en tant que rodonticide se retrouve largement augmenté / To reduce the ecological impact of pesticides in UE many new legislations were put in place, in other hand, most of secondary intoxications of rodent's predators are due to rodenticides available on the market. That why it’s crucial to find alternative rodenticide more eco-friendly. This work describes optimization of new coumarinics compounds synthesis and their biological studies. The new anticoagulant should be active on wild and mutant rat, and must have a low hepatic persistence in the rat body. Organic syntheses were driven with biological studies and have converged to discover the lead. Three different new molecular tools were optimized and have allowed the synthesis and the evaluation of a large number of candidates. The first two through homogeneous catalysis by using micro-waves have reduced the time needed for the alkylation of 4-hydroxycoumarin on the carbon 3. The third methodology allows the synthesis of same kind of compounds in large scale. This methodology opens news potentials reactions to add structural diversity. All the molecules were evaluated in vitro on different types of VKORC1 and have participated to a better understanding of the enzyme/inhibitor interactions. After this first evaluation, in vivo tests were performed on a selection of candidates, and have brought a crucial structural relationship between structure and in vivo persistence/activity. The best compound produced by now seems to answer at all specifications established linked to the single-feeding strategy. Multiple-feeding strategy is today planned to better correspond to the field reality. On the base of this one the number of candidates usable as rodenticides is increased

No description available.

Les molécules aromatiques se retrouvent dans de nombreux produits de la chimie fine ou de spécialité. Aujourd'hui toutes sont obtenues par voie pétrochimique ; il est donc nécessaire de trouver des ressources alternatives renouvelables. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à des méthodologies applicables en chimie fine et mettant en oeuvre la transformation de molécules aromatiques issues de la biomasse soit pour obtenir des synthons équivalents à ceux de la filière pétrochimique, soit pour synthétiser des composés de chimie fine sans recourir à des fonctionnalisation intermédiaires. Ainsi, une nouvelle voie d'obtention de styrènes fonctionnels à partir d'acides cinnamiques par décarboxylation cuprocatalysée dans le PEG a été mise au point. Cette stratégie a été étendue à la préparation de composés aromatiques et hétéroaromatiques à partir des acides correspondants, et aux amines à partir d'aminoacides biosourcés. Un second axe a concerné le développement d'un système catalytique [Pd/Cu] homogène, et en partie hétérogène, pour la synthèse de biaryles par couplage décarboxylant de deux acides benzoïques. Appliqué aux acides 2-Nitrobenzoïque et 2,6- diméthoxybenzoïque, le système permet l'obtention du biaryle visé avec un rendement de 70%. Des études supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour lever les verrous technologiques limitant l'utilisation en termes de substrats. Le dernier axe traite de la synthèse de stilbènes par couplage d'un acide cinnamique et d'un halogénure d'aryle. L'étude a permis la mise au point d'une palladocatalyse très efficace qui permet d'obtenir la molécule cible avec un rendement allant jusqu'à 78%. La méthodologie a été transposée en catalyse hétérogène par l'utilisation de PdO/SiO2 et Pd/C ; le PdO/SiO2 s'est avéré stable sur au moins 4 cycles. Comme pour la synthèse de biaryles, le système nécessite d'autres développements pour étendre son champ d'action aux dérivés d'acides cinnamiques peu réactifs / Aromatic molecules are present in a large field of products in fine chemistry. Nowadays, all are obtained by petrochemical way ; Thus, it’s necessary to find alternative renewable resources. As part of this thesis, we are interested in the fine chemical methodologies and implementing the transformation of aromatic molecules from biomass either to obtain building blocks equivalent to those from the petrochemical industry, or to synthesize fine chemicals compounds without the necessity of intermediate functionalization. Thus, a new way to obtain functionalized styrenes from cinnamic acids by decarboxylation copper catalyzed into PEG was developed. This strategy has been extended to the preparation of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds from the corresponding acids and amines from biosourced amino acids. A second axis concerned the development of a homogeneous catalytic system [Pd/Cu], and partly heterogeneous, for the synthesis of biaryls by decarboxylating coupling of two benzoic acids. Applied to 2-Nitrobenzoic acid and 2,6 dimethoxy acid, the system allows the production of biaryl covered with a yield of 70%. Further studies turn out to be necessary to remove technological barriers in terms of limited substrates. The last axis deals with the synthesis of carbons by coupling a cinnamic acid and an aryl halide. The study development allowed a very efficient palladocatalyse that achieves the target molecule with a yield up to 78%. The methodology has been implemented in heterogeneous catalysis using PdO/SiO2 and Pd/C; PdO / SiO2 was stable for at least 4 turnover. As for the synthesis of biaryls, the system requires further development to expand its scope to derivatives cinnamic acids less reactive

Les ligands multidentes montrent généralement de très bonnes activités dans la catalyse organométallique au palladium à faibles charges. Parmi ces ligands, l'utilisation des ligands polyphosphines ferrocéniques mènent à des résultats intéressants. Des systèmes catalytiques palladium/triphosphine ferrocénique robustes ont permis d'obtenir d'une part des diarylamines et d'autre part des éthers d'aryle et d'hétéroaryle avec de faibles charges catalytiques. Des calculs théoriques de DFT sur le cycle catalytique lors de la formation d'éthers d'aryle et d'hétéroaryle ont été réalisés. La présence d’un troisième groupement phosphino permettrait de stabiliser les états de transition et accélèrerait l’élimination réductrice. Les triarylamines ont pu être obtenues à l'aide d'une diphosphine ferrocénique avec une charge de 2 mol% de palladium. Des résultats modérés à excellents ont été obtenus. Enfin, les thioéthers d'aryle et d'hétéroaryle ont été obtenus avec d'excellents résultats à l'aide d'une tétraphosphine ferrocénique en présence de 0,2 mol% de palladium / Multidentate ligands usually show great activities in low loading organometallic catalysis in palladium. Among these ligands, the use of ferrocenyl polyphosphane ligands give interesting results. Robust palladium-ferrocenyl triphosphane catalytic systems have permitted to obtain biarylamines and aryl-heteroaryl ethers in the presence of low catalytic loadings. DFT studies on catalytic cycle during formation of aryl-heteroaryl ethers were carried out. The presence of third phosphino group stabilizes a transition state which enhances the rate of the reductive elimination. Triarylamines were obtained with ferrocenyl diphosphane in the presence of 2 mol% of palladium loading. Moderate to excellent results were obtained. Finally, aryl-heteroaryl sulfides were obtained with excellent results with ferrocenyl tetraphosphane ligand in the presence of 0.2 mol% of palladium.