Polymers incorporating main group elements offer different and interesting properties compared to their all carbon analogues. For example, π-conjugated polymers incorporating phosphorus in the main chain of the polymer have generated interest due to their unique thermal and electronic properties, which primarily result from delocalization of the phosphorous lone pair within aromatic units. Similarly, interest in polysilanes stems from conductivity resulting from σ electron delocalization, though current methods of preparation for both of these types of materials are lacking. In this dissertation, both early and late transition-metal compounds were used to dehydrocouple phosphine and silane substrates. The use of dehydrocoupling catalysis as a method for the synthesis of main group element-linked polymers was explored utilizing substrates designed to engender solubility in their polymeric products. Progress towards the preparation of silane- and phosphine-based conjugated materials via dehydrocoupling catalysis is reported. Catalytic reactions of bisphosphinite pincer-ligated iridium compounds p-XR(POCOP)IrHCl (POCOP) = 2,6-(R2PO)2C6H3, R = iPr, tBu, X = H, COOMe, H, NMe2with primary and secondary silanes have been performed. Compounds featuring the less sterically demanding iPr-substituted ligands facilitate silane redistribution reactions, but dehydrocoupling catalysis is observed for more encumbered silane substrates or with aggressive removal of H2. The bulkier tBu-substituted compounds are silane dehydrocoupling precatalysts that also undergo competitive redistribution with less hindered substrates. Products generated from reactions utilizing tBu ligated Ir include low molecular weight oligosilanes with varying degrees of redistribution present or disilanes when employing more sterically demanding substrates. The interplay of steric and electronic effects of the POCOP ligand on the silane product distribution will be presented. In previous work by our group, a triamidoamine-supported zirconium catalyst,[κ5-(Me3SiNCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2NSiMe2CH2]Zr, 1 has been shown to be effective in catalyzing the formation of phosphorus–element bonds via dehydrocoupling. Substrates including 2,5-bisphosphinofuran and 1,4-bisphosphinobenzene were dehydrocoupled to yield hyperbranched polyphosphine products. Efforts to characterize these products have been limited due to poor solubility. Rational substrate design incorporating aliphatic sidechains in primary phosphine linker molecules to engender solubility has been accomplished. Treatment of these second generation substrates with 1 or [Cp*2ZrH3]Li, 2 leads to sluggish reactions reaching moderate conversions to diphosphine products. The working hypothesis is that steric congestion during the bond forming step hinders additional bond-formation. Efforts toward the characterization and utilization of these insoluble materials as metal ion scavengers will be presented.

Thesis advisor: Lawrence T. Scott / The Scott lab is interested in the functionalization of corannulene as a building block for large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and carbon nanotube end-cap precursors. Toward that end, a new approach to the direct five-fold borylation of corannulene with iridium (I) catalysts via C-H activation has been explored. It has been discovered that the addition of catalytic amounts of base to the reaction mixture promotes the formation of symmetrical penta-borylated corannulene in a good yield on a sizable scale. All byproducts can be easily removed with iterative methanol washes. The present work also provides proof of the reversibility of the direct borylation reaction under the conditions used. Furthermore, modified Suzuki-Miyaura conditions have been employed to synthesize pentakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)corannulene, a precursor for a [5,5] carbon nanotube end-cap. The reported reactions provide good yields and are scalable. / Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

A Monte Carlo model has been developed using MCNP5 to simulate the Nucletron Ir-192 HDR source in order to investigate the influence of tissue heterogeneities on dose calculations compared to the dose in homogeneous water media, as it is typically calculated by brachytherapy Treatment Planning Systems (TPS). Validity of the simulation was verified in water medium in comparison with peer reviewed results using the dosimetric parameters recommended by AAPM, Task Group-43. The dose-rates in simulated prostate, bladder and rectum were compared to those obtained in the homogeneous water phantom. Based on the resulting dose differences, it is inferred that TPS algorithms for brachytherapy dose calculations overestimate the dose to tissues like prostate and bladder by up to 49%. A clinically relevant dose underestimation of 5.5% to the rectum was also found. We recommend that further investigation using actual patient CT data as input to the Monte Carlo simulation be performed. / by Ramsâes Herrera. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Mesmo não estando entre os casos de câncer com maior incidência, os tumores oculares têm acometido a população brasileira. O Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), juntamente à Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP), criou um projeto que visa o desenvolvimento e implementação de um tratamento de câncer oftálmico alternativo que consiste na utilização de sementes de irídio-192 em braquiterapia. O Projeto surgiu pelo motivo da Escola Paulista tratar muitos casos oncológicos no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e pela experiência em pesquisas de fontes radioativas seladas do grupo de braquiterapia do IPEN. A metodologia foi desenvolvida a partir da infraestrutura disponível e pela experiência dos pesquisadores. O protótipo desenvolvido da semente se apresenta com um núcleo (irídio em liga de irídio-platina) de 3,0mm de comprimento selado por uma cápsula de titânio de 0,8mm de diâmetro externo, 0,05mm de espessura de parede e 4,5mm de comprimento. Nenhum estudo sobre a confecção destas sementes foi encontrado em literatura disponível. Criou-se uma metodologia que envolveu: caracterização do fio, criação do dispositivo para ativação neutrônica dos núcleos e testes de estanqueidade da fonte produzida. A análise dos resultados comprovaram a viabilidade do método. Como sugestão para trabalhos futuros, estudos quanto à metrologia e dosimetria destas fontes e aprimoramento da metodologia devem ser realizados, para uma futura implementação em caráter nacional. / Even ocular tumors are not among the cases with a higher incidence, they affect the population, especially children. The Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN-CNEN/SP) in partnership with Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP), created a project to develop and implement a alternative treatment for ophthalmic cancer that use brachytherapy iridium-192 seeds. The project arose by reason of the Escola Paulista treat many cancer cases within the Unified Health System (SUS) and the research experience of sealed radioactive sources group at IPEN. The methodology was developed from the available infrastructure and the experience of researchers. The prototype seed presents with a core (192-iridium alloy of iridium-platinum) of 3.0 mm long sealed by a capsule of titanium of 0.8 mm outside diameter, 0.05 mm wall thickness and 4,5mm long. This work aims to study and develop a seed of iridium-192 from a platinum-iridium alloy. No study on the fabrication of these seeds was found in available literature. It was created a methodology that involved: characterization of the material used in the core, creation of device for neutron activation irradiationand ans seed sealing tests. As a result, proved the feasibility of the method. As a suggestion for future work, studies regarding metrology and dosimetry of these sources and improvement of the methodology should be carried out, for future implementation in national scope.

Current ethanol oxidation catalysts in direct ethanol fuel cells (typically platinum-based) suffer from low conversion and are susceptible to CO poisoning. Therefore we determined to find viable alternative catalysts for ethanol oxidation based on iridium using density functional theory to model bimetallic alloy (111) surfaces. Iridium was alloyed with another transition metals M in an overlayer (one layer of metal M on top of bulk iridium) or subsurface configuration (M is inserted under the first layer of iridium). Complete oxidation of ethanol is limited by the breaking of strong C-C bonds, so any catalyst must lower the barriers for C-C bond breaking. We modeled the reaction CH+CO →CHCO.Segregation energies were calculated and the subsurface configuration was the most stable configuration in the vast majority of alloy cases. CO adsorption was also studied and a lower CO adsorption energy was found in many alloy cases compared to pure Pt (, providing encouraging results about the possibility of reducing CO poisoning. Activation energies were lowered for the vast majority of the alloys used in an underlayer structure, reinforcing our interest in the underlayer structures or “subsurfaceâ€� alloys. Finally, we found, based on the CO adsorption energies, activation energies of the C-C breakage reaction, and metal cost, three important catalyst descriptors, a number of promising catalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction. The most interesting alloys all adopted the underlayer structure Ir/M/Ir. With M = Ta, Hf, Nb, V, Zr, they demonstrated enhanced reactivity and high CO tolerance, having the advantage of reducing the cost of the catalyst, potentially substituting expensive platinum group metals by more affordable components.

by Maoqi Feng. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Aren-Halbsandwichkomplexe des Rhodiums und Iridiums wurden dargestellt und ihre Reaktivität gegenüber Substrate wie Wasserstoff, Olefine oder Alkine untersucht. Neu synthetisierte Trialkylphosphane mit integrierten Arylgruppen wurden als Chelatliganden eingesetzt sowie intramolekulare C-H Aktivierungen mit diesen Phosphanen durchgeführt. / Arene halfsandwich-type complexes of rhodium and iridium have been prepared and their reactivity toward substrates like hydrogen, olefins or alkynes has been studied. New synthesized trialkyl phosphanes with integrated aryl groups have been used as chelating ligands, C-H activations with these phosphanes have been carried out.

Depuis quelques années, la recherche et le développement dans le domaine des matériaux électroluminescents suscite de plus en plus d’intérêt. La crise énergétique que nous connaissons actuellement motive un changement de mentalité de la société, de plus en plus soucieuse d’économiser l’énergie. Peu à peu, la commercialisation de diodes électroluminescentes telles que les LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) ou les OLEDs (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) s’est implantée et elle connait aujourd’hui un essor considérable. Néanmoins, de nombreuses améliorations doivent encore être apportées afin d’en optimiser les propriétés. C’est dans cette thématique des matériaux électroluminescents que s’est focalisé notre travail. La préparation de nouveaux composés et l’étude de leurs propriétés photophysiques représentent en effet des étapes déterminantes et indispensables à la fabrication de ces dispositifs. Notre travail s’est concentré plus particulièrement sur des complexes de Rh(III), Ir(III) et Ru(II) incorporant un ou plusieurs dérivés du dipyrrométhène. Le premier volet de cette thèse est consacré à la synthèse de quatre complexes mononucléaires [Rh(dipy)3], [Rh(ppy)2dipy], [Ir(ppy)2dipy], [Ru(phen)2dipy]+ dont nous avons ensuite étudié les propriétés photophysiques et électrochimiques. Des calculs théoriques TD-DFT ont également permis de conforter l’attribution de la nature des différents états excités responsables de la luminescence de ces composés. Le second volet de cette thèse est consacré à la mise au point de complexes dinucléaires à l’aide d’un dérivé pontant du dipyrrométhène, avec lequel deux composés ont été obtenus : [Ir2(ppy)4µdipy] et [Rh2(ppy)4µdipy]. Une étude complète du composé d’iridium nous a permis de déterminer ses propriétés. Les nombreux problèmes de solubilité que nous avons rencontrés avec le composé de rhodium ne nous ont pas permis de mener des études approfondies de ce composé. Lors d’un essai de synthèse du composé dinucléaire d’iridium, nous avons isolé le complexe mononucléaire pontant [Ir(ppy)2µdipyH]. Afin de l’engager dans la préparation d’un complexe hétérodinucléaire de type Bodipy, nous avons préalablement mis au point la synthèse d’un bodipy mononucléaire et nous avons examiné ses propriétés optiques. Nous nous sommes dès lors basé sur les conditions de synthèse de ce bodipy mononucléaire pour tenter de réaliser, sans succès, la synthèse du complexe hétéronucléaire [Ir(ppy)2µdipyBF2]. L’ensemble des résultats obtenus au cours de ce travail, nous ont permis de comprendre l’effet du métal de transition et celui de la dérivatisation du dipyrrométhène sur les propriétés photophysiques des complexes formés. Il serait dès lors intéressant de tirer parti de l’ensemble de ces résultats pour mettre au point un nouveau dérivé pontant du dipyrrométhène afin d’optimiser les propriétés des complexes formés, et à terme permettre la préparation de réseaux organométalliques performants et exploitables dans des dispositifs électroluminescents.

This thesis describes the development of new catalytic methods for the synthesis and application of organometallic reagents, mainly focusing on allylboronic acid derivatives. Thus, palladium pincer-complex catalysis has been applied for extending the scope of palladiumcatalyzed borylation reactions in the synthesis of regio- and stereodefined functionalized allylboronic acid derivatives. These novel allylboronic acids were also employed as substrates in palladium catalyzed regioselective coupling reactions with iodobenzenes. We have also developed a new one-pot sequence based on preparation of allyl- and vinylboronates via catalytic carbon-hydrogen bond activation/borylation reactions. The synthetic scope of the reaction as well as mechanistic studies on the borylation process are presented. Finally, the synthesis of new chiral palladium pincer-complexes is described. These species were employed as catalysts in asymmetric electrophilic allyation of imines.

L'ouverture sélective de cycles aromatiques sur catalyseurs bifonctionnels peut en principe aboutir à une augmentation de l'indice de cétane des gazoles. Dans ce travail, nous nous sommes concentrés sur l'iridium supporté sur silice-alumine amorphe (ASA) comme catalyseur d'hydroconversion de la tétraline en présence de H2S à 250-350 °C dans un microréacteur continu sous pression (4 MPa). Une étude détaillée par analyse thermique et diffraction X in situ du processus de décomposition du précurseur acétylacétonate d'iridium a permis d'optimiser l'étape d'activation. Unesimple réduction sous H2 à 350 °C aboutit à des nanoparticules Ir finement dispersées (taille 1.4 ± 0.2nm). Le catalyseur Ir/ASA est stable et résiste à l'empoisonnement par le soufre, contrairement à Ir/SiO2 et Ir/Al2O3. Les principaux produits d'hydroconversion de la tétraline sont les produits d'hydrogénation (décalines) et les produits d'ouverture et de contraction de cycle (POCC). L'analyse par chromatographie en phase gazeuse bidimensionnelle (GC��GC-MS) montre que les POCC se répartissent en produits d'ouverture saturés et aromatiques, minoritaires, et en produits de contraction saturés et aromatiques, majoritaires. Les performances catalytiques de Ir/ASA ont pu être modifiéesvia des effets de support, d'alliage et de taille. Pour une composition Si:Al d'environ 0,5, l'acidité de Brönsted du support est maximale, ce qui conduit à une activité totale et une sélectivité en POCC maximales. D'autre part, l'activité augmente par ajout de palladium, et la sélectivité en POCC est maximale pour la composition Ir-Pd intermédiaire. Les analyses par TEM-EDX montrent que la teneur en Pd des nanoparticules augmente avec leur taille. Enfin, la sélectivité en POCC croîtconsidérablement avec la taille des particules, qui a été ajustée entre 2 et 8 nm par frittage thermiqueen atmosphère humide. Cela s'explique par une diminution du rapport entre les quantités de sitesmétalliques et de sites acides de Brönsted dans le cadre d'un mécanisme bifonctionnel.