The successful application of Tppts, and its derivatives, in biphasic transition metal-catalysed reactions opened up a new field of chemistry requiring a rational design of water-soluble ligands. The main objective of the research described in this dissertation was the preparation and the application of new water-soluble phosphine ligands. The ligands were prepared by the use of carbon nucleophiles and chlorophenylphosphine derivatives. The carbon nucleophiles included malonate derivates, which were subsequently reduced to the di-alcohols and were transformed into water-soluble phosphines by the reaction with 1,4-butanesultone. Secondary and tertiary malonate nucleophiles were used and the steric demands of compounds containing more than one malonate group were investigated. Various attempts to obtain water-soluble compounds from dimalonate phosphine oxides failed. TBDMS-protected aryl halides were also used as nucleophiles. One (or two) of these silyl ethers was reacted with chlorophenylphosphine derivatives and after deprotection with TBAF the compounds were made water-soluble by a reaction with 1,4-butanesultone. The hydrogenation of arylphosphine oxides to form cyclohexylphosphine oxide derivatives was also investigated. However, these cyclohexylphosphines were more easily obtained by the reaction between the previously mentioned carbon nucleophiles and chlorocyclohexylphosphine derivatives, which were freshly prepared. A series of cyclohexyl-containing water-soluble phosphines was prepared in this way. The oxygen sensitive nature of phosphines lead to two different approaches in the reaction route: the phosphines were either borane protected followed by a subsequent deprotection step, or the phosphines were allowed to oxidise and were reduced back to the free phosphine at a later stage. The efficiency of both approaches in the reaction routes was examined. The deprotection of phosphine-boranes was performed using various “new” deprotecting reagents and the borane-species and free phosphines were separated using water/organic extractions. The various extraction coefficients of the amine-borane complexes were determined. The newly prepared ligands were used in a variety of palladium-catalysed reactions as well as in the hydroformylation of 1-octene employing rhodium. The reactions were performed in both neat organic solvents as well as mixtures between water and DMF or toluene and the results were compared to the use of Tpp and Tppts. It was found that many of the new ligands afforded superior yields compared to those of Tpp and Tppts. In the last part of the study, various diphenylphosphinic amides were used as DoM-groups. Sec- and tert-BuLi were used together with a variety of electrophiles to facilitate ortho-substitution on either one or two rings on the amides. This was seen as a start of a new approach towards functionalised phosphine ligands. / Prof. D.B.G. Williams

M.Sc. / This dissertation deals with the syntheses of tridentate (O^N^N) coordination ligands [{2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-[(2-(3,5-RR-pyrazol-1-yl-ethylimino)-methyl] phenol}, R = H (L1), Me(L2), Ph(L3), t-Bu(L4)], which was reacted initially with MX2 (M = Fe, Co, Ni; X = Cl, Br). The ligands L1-L4 were also modified by functionalizing the phenol group in this ligand group to an ethoxy in L5 and L6 (L5 = [(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-ethoxy-benzylidene)-[2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-ethyl]-amine, L6 = [(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-ethoxy-benzylidene)-[2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-ethyl]-amine)], or into a phenoxy in L7 (L7 = (3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenoxy-benzylidene-(2-pyrazol-1-yl-ethyl)-amine)). Another ligand L8 (L8 = [4-(4-tert-butyl-benzylidene)-[2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-ethyl]-amine], which was devoid of the phenoxy group was also synthesized. These modified ligands were also reacted with MX2 or PdCl(COD)Me to form bidentate (N^N) chelating complexes. Further modification of the ligand L1-L4, to replace the phenoxy pyrazolylimine unit with a source of oxygen donor other than a phenoxy led to the use of already known ligands L9, L10 (L9 = 2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-ethanol, L10 = 2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-pyrazol-1yl)-ethanol and L11, where in L11, the alcohol moiety is replaced by an electron withdrawing chloro group, L11 = 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3,5-di-methyl-pyrazole). These ligands were also reacted with MX2 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Pd; X = Cl, Br) to form complexes. The synthesized complexes were characterized by a combination of IR and NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, microanalysis and in selected cases single crystal X-ray crystallography.

Pulsed laser time-resolved ligand-substitution photochemistry for (DTO)W(CO)4, (DTN)W(CO)4, and (NP)Mo(CO)4 (DTO = 2,2,7,7-tetramethyl-3,6-diathiaoctane; DTN = 2,2,8,8- tetramethyl-3,7-diathianonane; NP = l-diethylamino-2- diphenylphosphinoethane) proceeds via initial fission of the W-S and Mo-P bonds, affording Cs and C4v five-coordinate intermediates for DTN and NP but largely Cs for DTO. The rates of reaction of these intermediates, via chelate ring closure and competitive bimolecular interaction with Lewis bases (= L, alkylphosphines and alkyl phosphites) for the Cs intermediates and via bimolecular interaction of L with the C4v intermediates, together with activation parameters for these processes have been determined. The rates of interactions at the Cs intermediates are significantly faster than at the C4v intermediates.

Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent malarial parasite, is capable of invading all known human blood types. Erythrocyte invasion depends on specific parasite ligand and erythrocyte receptor interactions. These interactions are mediated by Region II of the P. falciparum erythrocyte binding ligands. Although invasion does not seem dependent upon a singular ligand, their individual contributions to the invasion process are yet to be explained. In this study, Region II of P. falciparum binding ligands BAEBL and JESEBL were transiently expressed as hexahistidyl recombinant proteins in COS-1 cells. Purification by column chromatography yielded 0.52 mg of BAEBL and 0.433 mg of JESEBL. The production and purification of these recombinant hexahistidyl proteins can allow for future binding affinity and kinetic analysis that may eventually define the contributive roles of each ligand during erythrocyte invasion.

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Candidate: Ioannis Mouratidis Supervisor: Doc. PharmDr. Petr Pávek Ph.D. Testing of newly synthesized compounds with constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) Interactions of a diverse array of nuclear receptors with numerous isolated compounds (ligands) have been extensively investigated during the last years. The reason of this intense research activity is, of course, the wide therapeutic potential of the nuclear receptors super- family. It is known that they interact with the metabolism and excretion of various compounds, endogenous or exogenous that interfere with the homeostasic mechanisms of the living organisms. In my study, I tested the activation of a specific orphan nuclear receptor known as constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). I tested 11 structurally different compounds as well as a known inhibitor of CAR (clotrimazole) and an activator (CITCO). To test these interactions between these compounds and CAR, I used the method of the mammalian two- hybrid system, a method where ligand-protein interactions are studied in an environment close to that in vivo. The method is based on the Dual-Luciferase Reporter kit, which made the quantification of the CAR responsive luciferase reporter...

Le récepteur à chimiokine CXCR4 est à ce jour l’un des récepteurs couplés aux protéines G les plus étudiés. Le CXCL12, sa chimiokine endogène induit l’activation de plusieurs voies de signalisation cruciales à plusieurs processus physiologiques. Par ailleurs, dans de nombreux processus pathologiques comme le cancer, le récepteur CXCR4 et/ou son ligand endogène sont surexprimés et facilite la dissémination et le maintien de conditions favorables à la prolifération cancéreuse. Afin d’étudier le récepteur CXCR4 et sa signalisation, notre approche vise à développer des ligands ciblant le CXCR4 en se basant sur CXCL12. Par des études de relation structure-activité et du design rationnel, nous avons conçu des chimères du CXCR4. Ces outils pharmacologiques nous permettent de mieux extraire les déterminants structuraux impliqués dans l’activation du CXCR4 mais aussi d’étudier les voies de signalisation associées à ces nouvelles entités chimiques. Nos données de relation structure-activité ont permis de mettre en évidence deux positions clés sur le N-terminal de nos chimères, la position 3 et la position 7 cruciales pour l’affinité et l’efficacité respectivement. Nous avons pu moduler l’efficacité ainsi que l’affinité de nos chimères en introduisant des acides aminés non naturels capables de potentialiser l’effet pharmacologique. Nous avons également corrélé nos résultats de SAR avec de la dynamique moléculaire réalisée à partir des deux structures cristallographiques du CXCR4. Nos données de dynamique moléculaire montrent des différences structurales importantes au niveau des domaines transmembranaires 3 et 7 en présence ou non de nos chimères. Par ailleurs, nous avons développé un nouveau déterminant avec des propriétés pharmacocinétiques améliorées comparativement au déterminant d’affinité des chimères de première génération. La caractérisation de ce déterminant a par ailleurs révélé son caractère agoniste inverse. Tous ces résultats apportent des éléments clés pour un meilleur design de molécules à visée thérapeutique ciblant le CXCR4.

M.Sc. / [AuCl(PPh3)] was reacted with mixed thiols in the presence of silver(I) oxide, resulting in complexes of the type [Au(SC6H4X)(PPh3)] X= Cl, NH2,CH2, forming silver chloride as a by-product. In addition to the above series [Au(SCH2(C6H4)3(2-C6H5(C6H4N)] was prepared via a different route, where [AuCl3(2-C6H5(C6H4N)] was reacted with benzyl mercaptan under reflux in the presence of silver(I) oxide for 3 h, forming silver chloride as a by-product. Palladium complex [PdCl2(2-C6H5(C6H4N)] was prepared by reacting [PdCl2(MeCN)] with 2-phenylpyridine at room temperature for 2 h. All complexes were characterized by 1H, 13C, 31P{H} NMR, IR, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Characterization of the starting materials [AuCl3(2-C6H5(C6H4N)] and [PdCl2(2- C6H5(6H4N)] by single crystal X-ray diffraction confirmed their chemical formula. All complexes were reacted with sulfur dioxide (SO2) and the reactions were monitored by electrochemistry and UV-vis spectroscopy. The electrochemical study of the complexes, using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Osteryoung square wave voltammetry (OSWV), showed one anodic peak, which is due to gold(I/III) and an unresolved peak due to thiolate ligand. Upon bubbling of SO2 to the complexes, there was an immediate change of colour from clear to yellow, the CV results showing an increase in current of the gold(I/III) peak. UV-vis spectroscopy studies showed a shift of peak form 250-286 nm, upon bubbling of SO2 to complexes.

In this thesis, the synthesis and reactivity of metal complexes containing phosphido (PR2−) and phosphenium (PR2+) ligands for the hydrophosphination of alkenes were investigated. The mechanisms of hydrophosphination mediated by these M-PR2 fragments were explored. Based on previous work in the Rosenberg group, Ru(η5-indenyl) complexes were explored and developed as catalysts for hydrophosphination. It was determined that Ru-phosphido complexes are key intermediates in the hydrophosphination of electron-deficient alkenes. A detailed study on the mechanisms of hydrophosphination catalyzed by the phosphido complexes Ru(η5-indenyl)(PPh2)(L)(PPh3) (4a, L = NCPh; b, L = PPh2H; c, L = CO) was performed. Evidence for product inhibition was found for this catalyst system using Reaction Progress Kinetic Analysis. Product inhibition is consistent with the observed catalyst resting state of a complex containing product phosphines and the determination that substitution of the product phosphine from Ru is rate-limiting. The ancillary ligands (L) of 4 were found to influence catalytic activity by enabling catalyst deactivation (L = NCPh) or off-cycle processes including alkene telomerization (L = CO). Proposed mechanisms for catalysis were devised based on these findings. These results are important mechanistic insights that will be useful for designing new catalysts for hydrophosphination. The unprecedented viability of metal phosphenium complexes as intermediates in hydrophosphination was also explored. Three Mo phosphenium complexes were synthesized via P-H bond hydride abstraction from coordinated secondary phosphines, PR2H. These complexes were found to mediate the stoichiometric hydrophosphination of alkenes and ketones. In particular, trans-[Mo(CO)3(PPh2H)2(PPh2)]+ (13) mediates the hydrophosphination of a wide scope of alkenes that includes ethylene, propene and 1-hexene, which are challenging substrates for metal-catalyzed hydrophosphination. Preliminary attempts were conducted to render this synthetic phosphenium-mediated hydrophosphination catalytic. These results provide evidence for the putative steps of a hydrophosphination cycle utilizing metal phosphenium complexes as intermediates. The phosphenium complexes trans-[Mo(CO)4(PR2H)(PR2)] (12a R = Tolp2, b R = Ph) were also investigated as Lewis acid catalysts for hydrosilylation. A tentatively-assigned η1-HSiEt3 adduct of 12a, [Mo(CO)4(PTolp2H)(PTolp2{HSiEt3})] (20a), was observed by low temperature 31P{1H} NMR and was studied computationally. Complex 12b is proposed to behave as a Lewis acid catalyst for hydrosilylation. An off-cycle equilibrium is proposed that results in the formation of EtSi+. This work is a unique example of P(III) Lewis acid catalysis, of which there are few examples in the literature. / Graduate / 2020-07-29

Complexos de coordenação de Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) e Nb(V) foram obtidos com os íons acetato, citrato e oxalato como ligantes (complexos ex-situ) para serem aplicados em banhos de eletrodeposição. O objetivo é usar estes complexos como fontes de metais sem adição de aditivos os quais são os ligantes que estão coordenados. Como estudos de referência, foram investigados banhos de eletrodeposição contendo sais de sulfatos dos íons metálicos na presença de ligantes nas razões metal:ligante de 10:1 e 1:5; assim, complexos de coordenações similares podem ser gerados em solução (complexos in-situ). Os complexos ex-situ foram analisados por análise elementar, espectroscopias nas regiões do infravermelho e ultravioleta-visível e voltametria cíclica (em Pt). As eletrólises foram realizadas em substrato de aço 1020 com um ou dois complexos metálicos presentes no banho. Banhos de eletrodeposição de nióbio usando como substrato aço 1020 coberto com Cu e/ou Zn foram bem sucedidos. Os depósitos foram analisados por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), espectroscopia de dispersão de raios X (EDX), reflectância difusa, espectroscopia de difração de raios X (DRX) e por curvas de polarização anódica (estudos de corrosão). Os banhos com complexos in-situ 10:1 fomeceram depósitos com aspectos morfológicos ruins em relação aos depósitos obtidos de banhos com complexos in-situ 1:5 e ex-situ. As morfologias dos depósitos obtidos dos banhos com acetato foram dendríticos e com baixa aderência. Os depósitos dos banhos com complexos citrato e oxalato foram lisos, compactos, com boa aderência e brilhantes. Diferentes fases estruturais foram observadas nos depósitos e a maioria deles protege contra a corrosão. Os estudos concluíram que os ligantes analisados influenciam diferentemente nos processos de eletrodeposição. / Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Nb(V) coordination complexes were obtained with acetate, citrate and oxalate ions as ligands (ex-situ complexes) to be applied in electrodeposition baths. The aim is to use these complexes as metal sources without further addition of additives which are the coordinated ligands. As reference study, electroplating baths with sulfate salts of the metal ions in presence of the ligands were investigated in the metal:ligand ratio of 1:5 and 10:1; then, similar coordination complexes can be generate in solution (in-situ complexes). The ex-situ complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry (in Pt). The electrolyses were performed in 1020 steel as substrate with one or two metal complexes present in the bath. Niobium electroplating baths with 1020 steel previously covered with Cu and/or Zn as substrates were also successfully performed. The deposits were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy X-ray (EDS), diffuse reflectance, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarization curves (corrosion studies). The bath with 10:1 in-situ complexes provided deposits with poor morphologic aspects in relation to the deposits obtained from bath with 1:5 in-situ and ex-situ complexes. The morphologies of the deposits obtained from bath with the acetate complexes were dendritics and with low adherence. The bath with both citrate- and oxalate-complexes were smoothes, compacts, with good adherence and brightness. Different structural phases were observed in the deposits and the most of them provided protection against corrosion. It was concluded that coordinated ligands influence differently in the electrodeposition processes.

As moléculas à base de nitrogênio, NH2Ph, NH2CH2Ph e NHnBuPh foram investigadas como ligantes ancilares nos novos complexos do tipo [RuCl2 (PPh3)2 (amina) x] para a polimerização via metátese por abertura de anel (ROMP) de norborneno (NBE), norbornadieno (NBD) e diciclopentadieno (DCPD). Os complexos foram obtidos da síntese com [RuCl2 (PPh3)3] com as respectivas moléculas. E eles foram caracterizados por análise elementar de CHN, FT-IR, RMN 31P{1H}, Espectroscopia eletrônica na região do uv-vis e voltametria cíclica. Os complexos isolados foram hexacoordenados (x = 2) com NH2Ph e NH2CH2Ph, e pentacoordenado com NHnBuPh (x = 1). Além disso, os resultados sugerem que todos os ligantes estão trans-posicionados no caso do complexo com NH2Ph (complex 1) e cis no caso do complexo com NH2CH2Ph (complex 2). O complexo com NHnBuPh ( complex 3) e sugerido estar na geometria pirâmide de base quadrada, com a amina no eixo axial. Quantitativos rendimentos foram obtidos na ROMP de NBE a 50°C com 1 por 30 min e com 2 por 5 minutos. Similar resultado foi obtido com 3 at 25°C por 5 min. O valor de Mw foram na faixa de 104 e 105 g/mol,com valores de IPD entre 1,6 e 3,5. Os valores de σc foram em torno de 0,40 a 0,52. ROMP de NBE e DCPD, bem como copolimerizações foram também realizadas com melhores resultados com 3. Os resultados são discutidos em termos de densidade eletrônica e impedimento estérico das aminas como ligantes ancilares nos complexos. As reações com o complexo 2 são favoráveis pelo caráter σ-doador, enquanto que o grande ângulo de cone da NHnBuPh prove a reatividade de 3. / The nitrogen-based molecules, NH2Ph, NH2CH2Ph and NHnBuPh were investigated as ancillary ligands in the new [RuCl2 (PPh3)2 (amine) x] complex types for Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene (NBE), norbornadiene (NBD) and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). The complexes were obtained from syntheses with [RuCl2 (PPh3)3]of and the respectively molecules and they were characterized by elementar analysis of CHN, FT-IR, NMR 31P, uv-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The isolated complexes were sixcoordinated (x = 2) with NH2Ph and NH2CH2Ph and pentacoordinated with NHnBuPh (x = 1). Moreover, the data suggest that all the ligands are trans-positioned in the case of NH2Ph (complex 1) and cis-positioned in the case of NH2CH2Ph (complex 2). The complex with NHnBuPh (3) was suggested to present a square pyramidal geometry with the amine in the axial axis. Quantitative yields were obtained in the ROMP of NBE at 50 °C with 1 for 30 min and with 2 for 5 min. Similar result was obtained with 3 at 25 °C for 5 min. The Mw values were in the range of 104 to 105 g/mol with PDI values between 1.6 and 3.5. The σc values were 0.40 to 0.52. ROMP of NBD and DCPD, as well copolymerizations with NBE, NBD and DCPD, were also performed with better results with 3. The results are discussed in terms of the electronic density and steric hindrance from the amines as ancillary ligands in the complexes. The reactions with complex 2 are favored by the σ-donor character of NH2CH2Ph, whereas the large cone angle of NHnBuPh provided the reactivity with 3.