Vitamin D is a precursor to a steroid hormone, 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D). After its discovery and the characterization of its receptor, the vitamin D receptor (VDR), it was initially thought only to be involved in calcium homeostasis, but further research revealed an important role for vitamin D in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation of such cells as osteoblasts and bone marrow adipocytes. 1,25(OH)2D has also been shown to be a strong inhibitor and pro-differentiator of keratinocytes. The anti-proliferative and pro-differentiative properties of this hormone have led to studies where 1,25(OH)2D anticancer properties were assessed and initial findings that showed a requirement of other factors beyond VDR to induce 1,25(OH)2D signaling led to the identification of the retinoid X receptor, a common heterodimeric partner for several hormone receptors. The focus of thesis was to further elucidate the structure-function relationship of both the vitamin D receptor and the retinoid X receptor. Additionally, contributions to work directed towards further identifying the effects of vitamin D on osteoblast differentiation and survival. Interactions of 1,25(OH) 2D3 with its cognate receptor, identifying a key amino acid (Tryptophan 286) required for ligand contact and transcriptional activation, are described in Chapter 2. Mechanisms of vitamin D action on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, promotion of osteoblast induction and maturation, and inhibition of adipocyte differentiation, are eluicidated in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 illustrates the effects of RAS/RAF/Mitogen-activated protein kinase mediated RXRalpha phosphorylation on the three-dimensional structure of the RXR/nuclear receptor partner heterodimers. Furthermore, this chapter reveals the inhibitory effect of the phosphorylation of a critical amino acid (serine 260) on the interaction of the AF-2 domain of the RXR with several coactivators, resulting in a decrease in the signaling potential of multiple steroid hormone receptors. The findings of this thesis further the knowledge of several areas of vitamin D biology, including both the canonical areas of bone formation, and the non-canonical area of vitamin D and cancer.

This thesis describes the development of new catalytic systems based upon iron complexes and their reactivity toward ethylene. First, we focused our interest on the synthesis of iron(III) precursors chelated by monoanionic ligand. Those complexes were obtained either by reaction of the monoanionic ligand with FeCl3 or through oxidation of the iron(II) complex. The second reaction led to binuclear complexes. Then, another aim of the thesis was to design new well-defined cocatalysts for the activation of iron complexes. The study of the reaction between an alcohol and the trimethylaluminum allowed us to reach this aim. Aluminum complexes adopted either a binuclear framework or a trinuclear one, depending on the nature of alcohol reagent. Besides this work, new iron(II) and nickel(II) complexes chelated by imino-imidazole ligands bearing a pendant donor function L were synthesized. All complexes have been evaluated for the oligomerization of ethylene in the presence of EtAlCl2 or MAO as cocatalyst. Only nickel complexes were active toward ethylene transformation.

Abstract available in pdf file.

The phosphine crown ether, 16-(4'diphenylphosphinophenyl)-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxa-16azacyclooctadecane (III), was synthesized using a reaction scheme beginning with n-phenyldiethanolamine and the dichloride of tetraethylene glycol, with an overall yield of 4%. Platinum and Palladium complexes of the ligand, of the form MC12L2, were synthesized as well. 13C NMR and picrate extraction data indicate III and IV (the crown-5 analog) both moderately bind sodium (14%, 15%) and potassium ions (17%, 28%). Compound V (a crown-5, triphenylphosphine-based ligand) will bind both sodium and potassium ions as well (18%, 6%). When IV is complexed to nickel carbonyl (Ni(CO)3), the addition of sodium and potassium ions cause the Al carbonyl stretching frequency to increase slightly (0.3 cm-1, 0.2 cm 1). For comparison, the addition of a proton causes the A1 carbonyl stretching frequency to increase 5.2 cm-1. However, the shift in the A1 carbonyl stretching frequency upon the addition of sodium or potassium ions indicates that ion binding by the crown ether is communicated to the phosphorus and finally to the carbonyl groups.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306 / Department of Chemistry

Metathesis is a valuable reaction for the production of new alkenes. In the last 50 years, heterogeneous as well as homogeneous catalysts have been used for this reaction. In the homogeneous category are the very successful catalysts designed by the Grubbs group. The first generation Grubbs precatalyst (Gr1) bearing two phosphine ligands was followed after extensive studies by the more active second generation Grubbs precatalyst (Gr2). In Gr2, one of the phosphine ligands is replaced with an N-heterocyclic carbene. Grubbs type precatalysts bearing pyridynyl-alcoholato chelating ligands are pertinent to this study. Scheme 1: The synthesis of Grubbs type precatalysts bearing a pyridynyl-alcoholato ligand. In two previous studies, both supported by computational methods, Grubbs type precatalysts with N^O chelating ligands were synthesised. These investigations were motivated by the fact that chelating ligands bearing different donor atoms can display hemilability. The loosely bound donor atom can de-coordinate to make available a coordination site to an incoming substrate “on demand”, whilst occupying the site otherwise and hence preventing decomposition via open coordination sites. In the first investigation, the incorporation of an O,N-ligand with both R1 and R2 being phenyl groups into the Gr2 precatalyst, resulted in an increase in activity, selectivity and lifetime of the precatalyst in comparison to Gr2 in the metathesis reaction with 1- octene. In the second study, three synthesised complexes were found to be active for the metathesis of 1-octene. This computational study sought to better understand the structural differences and thermodynamic properties of these Grubbs type precatalysts with bidentate/hemilabile ligands. A large number of structures were constructed in Materials Studio by varying the R groups of the bidentate/hemilabile ligand attached to both the Gr1 and Gr2 catalysts. The majority of structures were Gr1-type complexes. For each ligand selected, a group of structures consisting of closed precatalyst, open precatalyst, and where applicable a precatalyst less PCy3, closed metallacycle, open metallacycle and where applicable a metallacycle less PCy3, was constructed and optimised using DMol3. Bond lengths, bond angles, HOMO and LUMO energies and Hirshveld charges of structures were compared with one another. PES scans were performed on the metallacycles of four groups. The purpose of the PES scans was to ascertain whether these bidentate ligands were hemilabile and to illuminate the preferred reaction mechanism for these types of precatalysts. The major finding of this study was that the possibility of an associative mechanism cannot be ruled out for some Gr2-type precatalysts with bidentate ligand. For some precatalysts hemilability is energetically expensive and possibly not viable. No evidence of a concerted mechanism was found. The dissociative mechanism was found to be the preferred mechanism for most of the structures that were subjected to PES scans. The HOMO-LUMO energies of a complex can be used, as a predictive tool, to assess the reactivity and stability of a complex, as well as its preference for substrates. / Thesis (MSc (Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Metathesis is a valuable reaction for the production of new alkenes. In the last 50 years, heterogeneous as well as homogeneous catalysts have been used for this reaction. In the homogeneous category are the very successful catalysts designed by the Grubbs group. The first generation Grubbs precatalyst (Gr1) bearing two phosphine ligands was followed after extensive studies by the more active second generation Grubbs precatalyst (Gr2). In Gr2, one of the phosphine ligands is replaced with an N-heterocyclic carbene. Grubbs type precatalysts bearing pyridynyl-alcoholato chelating ligands are pertinent to this study. Scheme 1: The synthesis of Grubbs type precatalysts bearing a pyridynyl-alcoholato ligand. In two previous studies, both supported by computational methods, Grubbs type precatalysts with N^O chelating ligands were synthesised. These investigations were motivated by the fact that chelating ligands bearing different donor atoms can display hemilability. The loosely bound donor atom can de-coordinate to make available a coordination site to an incoming substrate “on demand”, whilst occupying the site otherwise and hence preventing decomposition via open coordination sites. In the first investigation, the incorporation of an O,N-ligand with both R1 and R2 being phenyl groups into the Gr2 precatalyst, resulted in an increase in activity, selectivity and lifetime of the precatalyst in comparison to Gr2 in the metathesis reaction with 1- octene. In the second study, three synthesised complexes were found to be active for the metathesis of 1-octene. This computational study sought to better understand the structural differences and thermodynamic properties of these Grubbs type precatalysts with bidentate/hemilabile ligands. A large number of structures were constructed in Materials Studio by varying the R groups of the bidentate/hemilabile ligand attached to both the Gr1 and Gr2 catalysts. The majority of structures were Gr1-type complexes. For each ligand selected, a group of structures consisting of closed precatalyst, open precatalyst, and where applicable a precatalyst less PCy3, closed metallacycle, open metallacycle and where applicable a metallacycle less PCy3, was constructed and optimised using DMol3. Bond lengths, bond angles, HOMO and LUMO energies and Hirshveld charges of structures were compared with one another. PES scans were performed on the metallacycles of four groups. The purpose of the PES scans was to ascertain whether these bidentate ligands were hemilabile and to illuminate the preferred reaction mechanism for these types of precatalysts. The major finding of this study was that the possibility of an associative mechanism cannot be ruled out for some Gr2-type precatalysts with bidentate ligand. For some precatalysts hemilability is energetically expensive and possibly not viable. No evidence of a concerted mechanism was found. The dissociative mechanism was found to be the preferred mechanism for most of the structures that were subjected to PES scans. The HOMO-LUMO energies of a complex can be used, as a predictive tool, to assess the reactivity and stability of a complex, as well as its preference for substrates. / Thesis (MSc (Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The well-defined ruthenium-carbene complexes reported by Grubbs and co-workers were the first ruthenium catalysts to show good activity and selectivity in metathesis of acyclic and cyclic olefins. Unfortunately the use of the Grubbs type catalysts is limited to the small scale synthesis of polymers and essential organic reactions, due to cost and instability of the catalyst at elevated temperatures. Some of the most successful Grubbs-type catalysts included hemilabile ligands. By releasing a free coordination site (the so-called "on-demand-open-site") for an incoming nucleophile, hemilabile ligands have the ability to increase the thermal stability and activity of a catalytic system, by stabilization of the transition metal centre. Previous studies indicated that the incorporation of a sterically hindered N and 0 chelating ligand increased the stability, activity and selectivity of Grubbs type complexes and increasing the electron density of the complex can influence the stability of a complex and therefore the catalytic performance. In this study alicyclic, bidentate N and 0 chelating ligands (16-19) were modelled in order to evaluate the hemilability of these ligands. The modelling was used as a comer stone from which the synthesis was conducted. Molecular modelling showed that of the four ligands identified only two (16 and 18) could potentially be hemilabile. 17 would rather form a transaunular ether compound. The modelling results were incondusive for ligand 19 and further investigation is necessary for this compound… / Thesis (M.Sc. (Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The well-defined ruthenium-carbene complexes reported by Grubbs and co-workers were the first ruthenium catalysts to show good activity and selectivity in metathesis of acyclic and cyclic olefins. Unfortunately the use of the Grubbs type catalysts is limited to the small scale synthesis of polymers and essential organic reactions, due to cost and instability of the catalyst at elevated temperatures. Some of the most successful Grubbs-type catalysts included hemilabile ligands. By releasing a free coordination site (the so-called "on-demand-open-site") for an incoming nucleophile, hemilabile ligands have the ability to increase the thermal stability and activity of a catalytic system, by stabilization of the transition metal centre. Previous studies indicated that the incorporation of a sterically hindered N and 0 chelating ligand increased the stability, activity and selectivity of Grubbs type complexes and increasing the electron density of the complex can influence the stability of a complex and therefore the catalytic performance. In this study alicyclic, bidentate N and 0 chelating ligands (16-19) were modelled in order to evaluate the hemilability of these ligands. The modelling was used as a comer stone from which the synthesis was conducted. Molecular modelling showed that of the four ligands identified only two (16 and 18) could potentially be hemilabile. 17 would rather form a transaunular ether compound. The modelling results were incondusive for ligand 19 and further investigation is necessary for this compound… / Thesis (M.Sc. (Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

This thesis describes the synthesis and characterisation of new mononuclear and binuclear zirconium and hafnium compounds containing ansa-bridged ligands. Some olefin polymerization studies, employing the new compounds as catalysts, are also presented. <strong>Chapter 1</strong> begins with an introduction to Ziegler-Natta polymerization of olefins, concentrating on recently developed metallocene-based catalyst systems. The second part of the Chapter charts the development of group 4 ansa-metallocene derivatives, especially their use as stereospecific catalysts. Finally, a review of binuciear group 4 metallocene compounds containing bridging bis(cyclopentadienyl)-type ligands is presented. <strong>Chapter 2</strong> describes the synthesis and characterisation of some novel mononuclear metallocene compounds of zirconium and hafnium containing ansa-bridged ligands. The ansa-bridged mononuclear compounds [{Me₂C(η⁵-C₅H₄)(η²-C₉H₆)}M(η⁵C₅H₅)Cl] (M = Zr, Hf), [{(CH₂)₅C(η⁵-C₅H₄)(η²-C₉H₆)}M(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl] (M = Zr, Hf) and [{Me₂(η⁵-C₅H₄)(η³-C₁₃H₈)}Zr(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl] are described, along with the X-ray crystal structures of the zirconium compounds. The η²-indenyl and η³-fluorenyl coordination modes observed for these compounds are unprecedented. The synthesis and characterisation of the novel, mononuclear ansa-bridged compounds [{Me₂C(η⁵-C₅H₄)<sub<2</sub>}M(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl] (M = Zr, Hf) is also described, along with their X-ray crystal structures. The variable temperature solid state ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra of [{Me₂C(η⁵-C₅H₄)<sub<2</sub>}M(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl] (M = Zr, Hf) show slow rotation of the C₅H₅ ring on the NMR timescale. <strong>Chapter 3</strong> describes the synthesis and characterisation of some novel homo- and hetero-binuclear metallocene compounds of zirconium and hafnium in which the metals are bridged by an unsymmetrical ansa ligand. The novel, chiral homobinuclear compounds [(η⁵-C₅H₅)MCl₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(η⁵-C₉H₆)}MCl₂(η⁵-C₅H₅)] (M = Zr, Hf) are described. The ansa-bridged mononuclear compounds [{Me₂C(η⁵-C₅H₄)(η²-C₉H₇)M(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl] (M = Zr, Hf) are used as reagents for the selective synthesis of the heterobinuclear analogues [(η⁵-C₅H₅)MCl₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(η⁵-C₉H₆)}M*Cl₂(η⁵-C₅H₅)] (M = Zr, M* = Hf ; M = Hf, M* = Zr) and the unsymmetrical homobinuclear compound [(η⁵-C₅H₅)ZrCl₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(��⁵-C₉H₆)}ZrCl₂(η⁵-C₅Me₅)]. The methylated derivatives [(η⁵-C₅H₅)M(CH₃)₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(η⁵-C₅H₆)}M*(CH₃)₂(η⁵-C₅H₅)] (M = Zr, M* = Zr, Hf; M = Hf, M* = Zr, Hf) are also described. The structurally related mononuclear compounds [(η⁵-C₅H₅)MCl₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(C₉H₇)}] (M = Zr, Hf) and [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Zr(CH₃)₂{(η⁵-C₅H₄)CMe₂(C₉H₇)}] have also been prepared. <strong>Chapter 4</strong> presents some olefin polymerization studies using the new compounds described in Chapter 3 as catalysts, along with either methylaluminoxane or the recently developed co-catalysts [Ph₃C]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^- and B(C₆F₅)₃. <strong>Chapter 5</strong> provides the experimental details for the reactions described in this thesis and the characterising data for all new compounds are given in <strong>Chapter 6</strong> Crystallographic data for the for the X-ray structure determinations in Chapter 2 are given in the <strong>Appendices</strong>.

Torpedo AChR structure was used to make models of other LGICs. Coarse-grain MD allowed the identification of residues in the TM domain interacting with the lipid-bilayer. Born energy profiles through LGIC pores reveal that the EC domain plays a key role in ion selectivity.