NMR experiments performed under the effect of electric fields, either continuous or pulsed, can provide quantitative parameters related to ion association and ion transport in solution.  Electrophoretic NMR (eNMR) is based on a diffusion pulse-sequence with electric fields applied in the form of pulses. Magnetic field gradients enable the measurement of the electrophoretic mobility of charged species, a parameter that can be related to ionic association. The effective charge of the tetramethylammonium cation ion in water, dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile, methanol and ethanol was estimated by eNMR and diffusion measurements and compared to the value predicted by the Debye-Hückel-Onsager limiting law. The difference between the predicted and measured effective charge was attributed to ion pairing which was found to be especially significant in ethanol. The association of a large set of cations to polyethylene oxide (PEO) in methanol, through the ion-dipole interaction, was quantified by eNMR. The trends found were in good agreement with the scarce data from other methods. Significant association was found for cations that have a surface charge density below a critical value. For short PEO chains, the charge per monomer was found to be significantly higher than for longer PEO chains when binding to the same cations. This was attributed to the high entropy cost required to rearrange a long chain in order to optimize the ion-dipole interactions with the cations. Moreover, it was suggested that short PEO chains may exhibit distinct binding modes in the presence of different cations, as supported by diffusion measurements, relaxation measurements and chemical shift data. The protonation state of a uranium (VI)-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) complex in aqueous solution was measured by eNMR in the alkaline pH range. The question whether or not specific oxygens in the ligand were protonated was resolved by considering the possible association of other species present in the solution to the complex. The methodology of eNMR was developed through the introduction of a new pulse-sequence which suppresses artifactual flow effects in highly conductive samples. In another experimental setup, using NMR imaging, a constant current was applied to a lithium ion (Li ion) battery model. Here, 7Li spin-echo imaging was used to probe the spin density in the electrolyte and thus visualize the development of Li+ concentration gradients. The Li+ transport number and salt diffusivity were obtained within an electrochemical transport model. The parameters obtained were in good agreement with data for similar electrolytes. The use of an alternative imaging method based on CTI (Constant Time Imaging) was explored and implemented. / <p>QC 20140825</p>

Les catécholamines et les indolamines font partie de la famille des neurotransmetteurs. Un déséquilibre dans leur concentration peut être associé à différentes maladies telles les maladies de Parkinson et Alzheimer, la dépression ou la schizophrénie. C’est pourquoi le développement de méthodes de dosage spécifiques et très sensibles du fait de leurs très faibles teneurs dans les fluides biologiques est nécessaire. Dans un premier temps nous avons développé une méthode chromatographique en appariement d’ions (IP-LC) utilisant des colonnes C18 de nouvelle génération (monolithique et « fused core ») et l’acide nonafluoropentanoïque, comme agent d’appariement d’ions volatil. Cette méthode est compatible avec une détection SM en mode d’ionisation positive. Dans un deuxième temps, différents systèmes en mode HILIC ont été évalués. Le choix raisonné de la phase stationnaire offrant la meilleure séparation du mélange de catécholamines a pu être réalisé après avoir testé l’influence sur la séparation des différents groupements fonctionnels disponibles : groupement soit neutre (greffage diol, amide, ou cyano), soit positivement chargé (greffage amino ou triazole) soit négativement chargé (silice vierge avec particules totalement poreuses ou partiellement poreuses « fused core ») ou zwitterionique (greffage sulfobetaïne). La méthode HILIC présente l’avantage d’être compatible aussi bien avec une détection SM en mode d’ionisation positive que négative. Les deux méthodes (IP-LC et HILIC) ont été comparées en termes de résolution, efficacité et limites de détection (LOD), linéarité et répétabilité. Les LODs obtenues sont comprises entre 1 et 100 ng.mL-1. Pour pouvoir doser des teneurs plus faibles, une méthode de pré-concentration de l’échantillon a été développée en associant 2 supports différents (Oasis HLB et PGC). La méthode optimisée SPE-CPL-MS/MS a été enfin appliquée à un extrait de cerveau de mouton. / As neurotransmitters, catecholamines play an important role in the control and regulation of numerous brain functions. They are also believed to be implicated in different neurodegenerative disorders. First an ion pairing chromatography method using nonafluoropentanoic acid as volatile ion paring agent was developed on the new generation of C18 columns (monolith and fused core). This method is compatible with MS detection in positive ionization mode. Secondly an HILIC method was optimized using different commercially available HILIC supports, they can be classified as follows: neutral (diol, amide, and cyano bounded), positively charged (amino, triazole bounded), negatively charged (bare silica as wholly porous particles or fused core particles columns) and zwitterionic (sulfobetaine bounded). Our studies lead us to a better understanding of the HILIC retention mechanism and also to the selection of the most appropriated column for catecholamine analysis. Only the HILIC system was compatible with both positive and negative ionization modes. The two chromatographic systems were then compared in terms of resolution, efficiency, detection and quantification limits (LOD/LOQ), calibration linearity and repeatability. The LODs obtained were in the range of 1-100 ng.mL-1. A simple pre-concentration method using Oasis HLB and PGC solid phase extraction cartridges has been optimized in order to enhance the LODs. Finally the optimized SPE-LC-MS/MS method has been applied to the identification of these compounds present in brain extracts.

A successful supercritical fluid extraction method includes removal of the analyte from the matrix into the bulk fluid as well as trapping or concentration of the analyte prior to analysis. In the first phase of this research, the trapping capacities of three solid-phase traps (glass beads, 50/50 (w/w) glass beads/octadecylsilica), 50/50 (w/w) Porapak Q®/glass beads) were determined as a function of trap composition for a mixture of components varying in polarity and volatility. The Porapak Q®/glass beads mixture was found to be the most successful solidphase investigated exhibiting the highest trapping capacity. The use of the Porapak Q®/glass beads as a solid-phase trap was investigated in later extraction studies in this dissertation. The extraction of highly polar, multifunctional analytes may not be completely successful with modified carbon dioxide, therefore, a secondary modifier (i.e. additive) may be added directly to the extraction fluid in hopes of improving the recoveries. In the second phase of this research, the effect of secondary modifiers in the subcritical fluid extraction of lovastatin from in-house prepared tablet powder mixtures and MEVACOR® tablets was investigated. The effect of in-line methanol-modifier percentage, additive type (acidic, basic, neutral) to the in-line methanol, and additive concentration on the extraction efficiency were examined. The extraction recoveries of lovastatin from MEVACOR® tablets were shown to be highly dependent on methanol concentration and additive type. Isopropylamine was shown to be the most successful additive investigated. An optimized and reproducible extraction method was developed. The extraction of ionic compounds with carbon dioxide may be difficult due to the high polarity of the compounds. In the third phase of this research, the addition of ion-pairing additives to the matrix in hopes of forming an ion-pair complex of reduced analyte polarity was investigated. Therefore, a screening study consisting of a fractional-factorial design was performed in order to identify the factors which contribute most to the recovery of an anionic species, triphenylphosphinetrisulfonate (TPPTS), from a spiked-sand surface employing supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide. The experimental parameters investigated were: type of ion-pairing additive (i.e. tetralkylammonium hydrogen sulfates) and its concentration, carbon dioxide density, extraction temperature, static extraction time, CO₂ mass used, liquid CO₂ flow rate, and the volume of methanol spiked into the matrix prior to extraction. Of the eight factors investigated, four factors were identified as significantly affecting the recovery of the anionic species. They were: 1) ion-pairing reagent added to the spiked sand surface and its concentration; 2) static extraction time; and 3) volume of methanol present in the extraction vessel. The experimental parameters and settings identified as influential by the statistical approach were later shown in concert to yield 100% recovery of TPPTS from the spiked-sand. In the fourth phase, the extraction of a cationic species, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, from spiked-sand and Suphedrine tablets, with pure and methanol-modified CO₂ was examined. Once the extraction was shown to feasible, several strategies were compared in terms of their effectiveness in enhancing the analyte's extractability. The first strategy involved the addition of ion-pairing additives. Several sodium salts of alkylsulfonic acids varying in lipophilicity and concentration were investigated. The addition of 1-heptanesulfonic acid, sodium salt, in methanol, in a 5:1 mole ratio of reagent to analyte was shown to be the most useful in recovering the drug from the spiked-sand. The second strategy considered the influence of acids and bases and other modifier compositions such as a methanol/water mixture with or without 1-heptanesulfonic acid, sodium salt, on the pseudoephedrine recovery. The recoveries obtained from the drug spiked-sand were shown to comparable in the presence of a methanol/water solution, a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in methanol solution, and a methanol solution with 1-heptanesulfonic acid, sodium salt. Next the extraction of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride from Suphedrine tablets was performed with pure and modified CO₂. Similar to the sand-spike studies, the effect of the addition of the ion-pairing reagent and other in-cell modifiers were examined. Once again, the recoveries obtained when the matrix was in the presence of a methanol/water mixture and a methanol solution containing 1-heptanesulfonic acid, sodium salt were similar. Finally, the identity of the extracted analyte was determined via IR analyses, and it was shown that pseudoephedrine hydrochloride was indeed extractable from the tablets with in-line modified CO₂ in the absence of any in-cell modifier. In the last phase of this research, a supercritical fluid chromatographic separation with evaporative light scattering detection was developed for the separation of five phospholipids varying in polarity and ionic characteristics. Several parameters were investigated and shown to be influential in the separation. They were: 1) stationary phase composition, 2) addition of an acidic additive and its concentration, 3) mobile phase ramp rate, and 4) column outlet pressure. / Ph. D.

This dissertation focuses on the design and study of charged aromatic molecules where weak π-π interactions synergize with electrostatic interactions to enhance the overall interaction between aromatic moieties. Each chapter investigates some aspect of this hypothetical synergy between electrostatics and π-face aromatic cohesion. The first chapter unveiled the importance of electrostatics in the intramolecular stacking of flexible aromatic molecular templates 1-2Br and 2a. While our previous studies found dicationic molecular template 1-2Br to have intramolecular π-stacking between electron poor pyridinium and electron rich xylylene moieties, no such stacking interaction was observed in the neutral analog 2a. Chapter two systematically explored the stacking pattern of electron poor aromatics in the form of oxygen- and / or nitrogen- substituted triangulenium cations, [1(NR)3]+ and [1(O)3(OH)3]+. As indicated in the chemical literature, triazatriangulenium cations [1(NR)3]+ with N- ethyl (and longer alkyl chains) chains were found to pack as face-to-face dimers. This study found the formation of columnar, face-to-face, n-meric association between aromatic cations in the structures with decreased steric interactions of the side chains in the stacking planes ([1(NMe)3]+ and [1(O)3(OH)3]+). Similar iso-structural triangulene based aromatic anions, (2)- and (3)2- didn’t indicate any facial interactions in the solid states. The possible synergy between unit charge electrostatics and π-face aromatic interactions was explored in aromatic ion pairs 1•2 of triangulene based aromatic cations and aromatic anions. This charge-assisted π-π stacking seems to be the novel way of getting strong π-system interactions where the strongest non-covalent force and the weakest non-covalent force: ionic bonding and π-stacking respectively synergize together. The π-π interaction between ionic aromatics in the solid state was investigated by means of single crystal x-ray diffraction and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD). The interaction in the solution state was examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) and electrochemical studies. Studies found that optimal synergy was possible only in the ion pairs with no steric interactions of alkyl (or aryl) side chains in the stacking planes (1(O)3•2 & 1(NMe)3•2) and the interaction was found to be comparable with the strongest radical-assisted π-stacking described in the chemical literature.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit de thèse concernent la mise au point de nouvelles méthodologies de synthèse asymétrique en organocatalyse promues par des phénolates d’ammoniums quaternaires, catalyseurs de type paires d’ions coopératifs chirales, et des dérivés de l’acide de Meldrum comme substrats. Dans un premier temps, nous avons utilisé l’acide de Meldrum comme un précurseur de cétène via une cycloréversion induite par O-silylation grâce à une probase silylée, afin de réaliser une réaction de cycloaddition [2+2] avec un aldéhyde ou une imine catalysée par un phénolate d’ammonium chiral, permettant de former des β-lactones et des β-lactames. Les travaux effectués n’ont cependant pas permis d’obtenir le produit désiré. Dans un secont temps, nous avons exploité le caractère électrophile des dérivés disubstitués de l’acide de Meldrum et leur capacité à fragmenter suite à l’addition nucléophile d’un phénolate. Une première partie a été consacrée au développement d’une réaction monotope de désymétrisation de l’acide de Meldrum pour former des malonates dissymétriques après une étape d’alkylation in situ du carboxylate intermédiaire. Bien que de bons rendements isolés aient été obtenus, un maximum de 21% ee a pu seulement être atteint. Dans une seconde partie, nous avons mis au point une séquence originale, catalysée par un phénolate d’ammonium quaternaire chiral, qui est constituée (1) d’une addition nucléophile de phénolate suivie (2) d’une fragmentation avec perte d’acétone qui permet, après (3) une étape de décarboxylation de générer un acétal de cétène acyclique qui va subir (4) une réaction de protonation énantiosélective. Cette méthode a pu être appliquée à un large panel de substrats avec de bons rendements et des excès énantiomériques allant jusqu’à 70% ee. / The work developed in this PhD thesis deals with the development of new asymmetric organocatalytic methodologies implying cooperative chiral ion pairing catalysis, by using chiral ammonium phenoxides as catalysts and Meldrum’s acid derivatives as substrates. First, we used the ability of Meldrum’s acid to generate acylketenes after cycloversion triggered by O-silylation thanks to a silylated probase in the presence of a chiral ammonium phenoxide. Such an approach was applied to the synthesis of β-lactones and β-lactames following a [2+2] cycloaddition reaction with aldehydes or imines respectively. Unfortunately, the desired products have never been observed. Then, we focused on disubstitued derivatives of Meldrum’s acids and their propensity to fragment after a nucleophilic addition of phenoxide. In a first part, we have developed a one-pot desymmetrization reaction of Meldrum’s acid derivatives to form dissymmetric malonates after an in-situ alkylation of the transient carboxylate. However, despite high isolated yields, only an unsatisfactory 21% ee could be reached. In a second part, we have developed an unprecedented sequence consisting of (1) a nucleophilic addition of phenol derivatives to Meldrum’s acid followed by (2) a fragmentation with loss of acetone, leading after (3) decaboxylation to the formation of an acyclic ketene acetal which is involved in (4) an enantioselective protonation reaction to provide a wide range of enantioenriched phenolic esters with moderate to excellent yield and up to 70% ee.

Mixed-metal supramolecular complexes containing one or two RuII light absorbing subunits coupled through polyazine bridging ligands to a RhIII reactive metal center were prepared for use as photocatalysts for the production of solar H2 fuel from H2O. The electrochemical, photophysical, and photochemical properties upon variation of the monodentate, labile ligands coordinated to the Rh reactive metal center were investigated. Bimetallic complexes [(Ph2phen)2Ru(dpp)RhX2(Ph2phen)]3+ (Ph2phen = 4,10-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline; dpp = 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine; X = Br- or Cl-) were prepared using a building block approach, allowing for selective component choice. The identity of the halide coordinated to Rh did not impact the light absorbing or excited state properties of the structural motif. However, the o-donating ability of the halides modulated the Rh-based cathodic electrochemistry and required the use of multiple pathways to explain the reduction of Rh by two electrons. Regardless of halide identity, the bimetallic complex possessed a Ru-based HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and Rh-based LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) important for photoinitiated electron collection at Rh. As a photocatalyst for H2 evolution, the X = Br- complex produced nearly 30% more H2 than the X = Cl- analogue. H2 production experiments with added halide suggested that ion pairing with halides played a major role in catalyst deactivation, which provided evidence for the importance of component selection for photocatalyst design. New trimetallic complex [{(bpy)2Ru(dpp)}2Ru(OH)2](PF6)5 (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) was prepared for comparison to halide analogues [{(bpy)2Ru(dpp)}2RhX2](PF6)5 (X = Br- or Cl-). The synthesis of a halide-free supramolecule containing OH- ligands afforded an ideal system to further examine the impact of the ligands at the reactive metal center on H2 photocatalysis. Electrochemistry results revealed that while the identity of the ligands at Rh did modulate the Rh-based reduction potential, all three complexes possessed a Ru-based HOMO and Rh-based LUMO. The light absorbing properties were not impacted by the identity of the monodentate ligands at Rh; however, the excited state properties did vary upon changing the ligands at Rh. The hydroxo trimetallic complex functioned as a photocatalyst for H2 production in organic solvent, producing nearly double the amount of H2 as the highest performing Br-' trimetallic complex in DMF solvent. Interestingly, H2 production studies in high dielectric aqueous solvent revealed no discrepancies in H2 evolution upon variation of the ligands at Rh, which further supported the ion pairing phenomenon realized for the bimetallic motif. Variation of the labile ligands coordinated to the Rh reactive metal center in RuIIRhIII multimetallic supramolecules provided important insight about the large impact of small structural variation on H2 photocatalysis. Electrochemical, photophysical, and photochemical studies of new RuIIRhIII complexes afforded a deeper understanding of the molecular processes important for the design of new complexes applicable to solar fuel production schemes. / Ph. D.

Pharmaceutical companies and FDA (Federal Drug Administration) rules rely heavily on crystalline active pharmaceutical ingredients delivered as tablets and powders in the form of neutral compounds, salts and solvates of neutral compounds and salts. About half of all drugs sold in the market are in the form of salts which are held together by ionic bonds along with some other forces. Recently, Ionic liquids (ILs) an interesting class of chemical compounds have offered potential opportunity for exploration as novel drug ionic liquid salts, particularly in the field of transdermal/topical drug delivery. Due to the multifunctional nature of these salts they could allow generation of new pathway to manipulate the transport and deposition behaviour of the drug molecule. It is this modular approach of IL that forms the basis of the research presented here, in which pharmaceutically acceptable compounds are combined with selected drugs with known problems. IL salts were generated by combining at least one drug molecule with FDA approved compounds and were assessed for physicochemical properties, skin deposition and permeation studies. Skin deposition data suggested that these systems exhibit high skin retention, which was found to correlate with the molecular weight. On the other hand, permeation data displayed an inverse relationship between flux values and molecular weight of the permeant. Similar work was extended with ILs with mixed anions containing two drugs. The benzalkonium-sulfacetamide ILs were investigated for synergism and the biological studies data display no synergistic effect. It was also illustrated that in-situ IL based ibuprofen hydrogels systems could be manipulated via IL approach for topical application. These findings suggest the potential applicability of IL based formulations for topical delivery of drugs.

<p>This thesis concerns the study of reaction mechanisms by means of kinetic isotope effects (KIEs). Studies of the nucleophilic bimolecular substitution (S_N2) reaction had the dual purpose of improving our fundamental understanding of molecular reactivity and assessing the ability of kinetic isotope effects to serve as mechanistic tools. The transition state of the S_N2 reaction between a cyanide ion and ethyl chloride in tetrahydrofuran was found to be reactant like and only slightly tighter than has been found previously for the same reaction in dimethyl sulphoxide. One conclusion was that the transition-state structure in this reaction was predicted fairly well by the theoretical calculations, even without solvent modelling. The S_N2 reactions between cyanide ions and <i>para</i>-substituted benzyl chlorides were found to have reactant-like transition states, of which the C_α-Cl bond was most influenced by the <i>para</i>-substitution. Theoretical calculations indicated that the chlorine KIEs could be used as probes of the substituent effect on the C_α-Cl bond if bond fission was not too advanced in the transition state. Furthermore, the nucleophile carbon ¹¹C/¹⁴C KIEs were determined for the reactions between cyanide ions and various ethyl substrates in dimethyl sulphoxide.</p><p>Precision conductometry was employed to estimate the aggregation status of tetrabutylammonium cyanide in tetrahydrofuran and in dimethyl sulphoxide, which is of interest as tetrabutylammonium cyanide is frequently used as the nucleophilic reagent in mechanistic investigations and synthetic reactions. The tendency for ion-pair formation was found to be very slight, significant, and very strong in dimethyl sulphoxide, water, and tetrahydrofuran, respectively. </p><p>The nitrogen kinetic isotope effect on monoamine oxidase B catalysed deamination of benzylamine was determined in an attempt to obtain conclusive evidence regarding the mechanism of the oxidation. Monoamine oxidase is an important drug target in connection with the treatment of, for example, depression and Parkinson’s disease, and knowledge on how the enzyme effects catalysis would facilitate the design of highly selective and efficient inhibitors.</p>

This thesis concerns the study of reaction mechanisms by means of kinetic isotope effects (KIEs). Studies of the nucleophilic bimolecular substitution (SN2) reaction had the dual purpose of improving our fundamental understanding of molecular reactivity and assessing the ability of kinetic isotope effects to serve as mechanistic tools. The transition state of the SN2 reaction between a cyanide ion and ethyl chloride in tetrahydrofuran was found to be reactant like and only slightly tighter than has been found previously for the same reaction in dimethyl sulphoxide. One conclusion was that the transition-state structure in this reaction was predicted fairly well by the theoretical calculations, even without solvent modelling. The SN2 reactions between cyanide ions and para-substituted benzyl chlorides were found to have reactant-like transition states, of which the Cα-Cl bond was most influenced by the para-substitution. Theoretical calculations indicated that the chlorine KIEs could be used as probes of the substituent effect on the Cα-Cl bond if bond fission was not too advanced in the transition state. Furthermore, the nucleophile carbon 11C/14C KIEs were determined for the reactions between cyanide ions and various ethyl substrates in dimethyl sulphoxide. Precision conductometry was employed to estimate the aggregation status of tetrabutylammonium cyanide in tetrahydrofuran and in dimethyl sulphoxide, which is of interest as tetrabutylammonium cyanide is frequently used as the nucleophilic reagent in mechanistic investigations and synthetic reactions. The tendency for ion-pair formation was found to be very slight, significant, and very strong in dimethyl sulphoxide, water, and tetrahydrofuran, respectively. The nitrogen kinetic isotope effect on monoamine oxidase B catalysed deamination of benzylamine was determined in an attempt to obtain conclusive evidence regarding the mechanism of the oxidation. Monoamine oxidase is an important drug target in connection with the treatment of, for example, depression and Parkinson’s disease, and knowledge on how the enzyme effects catalysis would facilitate the design of highly selective and efficient inhibitors.

The presented thesis investigates the transfer of drug molecules across interfaces that mimic biological membrane barriers. The permeability of drug molecules across biological membrane mimics has been investigated in a novel artificial membrane permeation assay configuration using an in situ time-dependent approach and reproducible rotation of the membrane. A method to determine the membrane permeability from the knowledge of measured permeability and the applied stirring rate is presented. The initial transient of the permeation response, previously not observed in situ, is investigated and its importance in data evaluation is discussed. The permeability coefficients of 31 drugs are optimised for the conditions found in vivo and a correlation with the fraction absorbed in humans is presented. The evidence for ionic and/or ion-pair flux across the artificial membrane obtained from measurement of permeability at different pH is supported by the investigation of the permeation assay with external membrane polarisation. The permeability coefficient of the solute's anionic form is determined. Liquid/liquid electrochemistry has been used to study the transfer of ionized species across the interface between water and 1,2-dichloroethane. An alternative method to study the transfer of partially ionised drug molecules employing a rotating liquid/liquid interface is presented. In addition, a bipolar electrochemical cell with a rotating-disc electrode is developed and its properties investigated in order to verify the hydrodynamics of the rotating artificial membrane configuration. Finally, in support of the electrochemical techniques used is this thesis, a detailed preparation and evaluation of the silver/silver sulphate reference electrode is presented.