Siphonaria zelandica, a pulmonate mollusk, has been the subject of many natural product isolation studies by several, independent research groups. These studies have yielded several polypropionate structures (e.g. 4, 6, 8, and 10), which, upon careful inspection, were proposed to be related. There has been speculation that none of these isolated structures (4, 6, 8, and 10) are biosynthetic products, but are artifacts of isolation. Instead, it has been proposed that an unstable, acyclic precursor, such as 14/15 is the biosynthetic product produced by this mollusk; the putative acyclic precursor has not been isolated or synthesized. None of the synthetic studies on this series of compounds have attempted to address the potential relationships between these structures or speak to their status as natural products.<p> This work describes the enantioselective synthesis of the putative acyclic precursor 14/15 and its isomerization to siphonarin B (4). This was the first enantioselective synthesis of siphonarin B (4). Siphonarin B (4) was shown to readily undergo a retro-Claisen rearrangement to afford baconipyrone C (6) and concurrently undergo a retro-Claisen rearrangement/aldol cascade to provide baconipyrone A (6). This was the first total synthesis of baconipyrone A (6) through an unprecedented retro-Claisen rearrangement/aldol cascade and the first total synthesis of baconipyone C (8) by a biomimetic route versus the classical esterification route. The fourth compound in this series of potentially related compounds, caloundrin B (10), was never observed despite a careful search of each reaction crude where it may have been present.<p> The relationships between these compounds were probed and it was found, that under the conditions examined, the putative acyclic precursor 14/15 is not a biosynthetic product. Instead, siphonarin B (4) or perhaps caloundrin B (10), are the most likely biosynthetic products of the mollusk. Baconipyrone C (8) is not a precursor of baconipyrone A (6). The processes responsible for baconipyrones A (6) and C (8) are irreversible. As had been previously hypothesized, baconipyrones A (6) and C (8) are most likely artifacts of isolation (i.e., not natural products). The missing link in this series of compounds is caloundrin B (10) and its isomerization and rearrangement behavior.

Over the last decade, many significant developments have been made to improve the active materials in a new generation of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). Current OLED technology is focused on organo-transition metal complexes, which emit from the triplet excited state and exhibit bright phosphorescence. Efficient in devices have been reported using these luminescent materials, such as iridium and platinum complexes, however, rare metal abundance concerns, high price and toxicology have inspired the study of alternative phosphorescent materials, such as copper or silver complexes. In this research, novel copper complexes have been synthesized, such as trinuclear and mononuclear copper (I) complexes, using a range of ligands, such as alkynyl, phosphine alkynyl and pyridine ligands. The synthesised complexes have been characterised by with a range of techniques, such as UV/Vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Most of the copper complexes have shown very interesting luminescent properties in solution and solid state and some of them were studied for future application in a device.

Diese Arbeit beinhaltet die Modellierung von neuartigen Spinosynanaloga über zwei aufeinanderfolgende Heck-Reaktionen und die Modifizierung einer beta-selektiven Glycosylierungsmethode sowie die Synthese von sechs neuen potentiellen Hsp47-Inhibitoren, die auf neuen Forschungsergebnissen basieren. Darüber hinaus wird ein enantioselektiver Zugang zu dem Lignan Linoxepin in elf Stufen mit der höchsten bisher erreichten Gesamtausbeute vorgestellt. Als Schlüsselschritte dienen hier eine Domino-Carbopalladierung-Heck-Reaktion, eine asymmetrische Hydroborierung und eine oxidative Lactonisierung.

Protein farnesylation is an essential post-translational modification required for the function of numerous cellular proteins including the oncoprotein Ras. The farnesyl transferase (FTase) catalyzed reaction is unique because farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), the farnesyl group donor for the reaction, forms a significant portion of a target protein binding site. The major goal of this research was to exploit this unique property of the FTase reaction and determine if changing the structure of the farnesyl donor group would affect FTase protein targeting. A small library of structural analogues of FPP was synthesized. Michelis-Menten steady-state kinetic analyses and competition reactions were used to determine the effect of these structural modifications on FTase targeting. We found that the analogues did affect FTase protein selectivity and that this could be exploited to induce unnatural target selectivity into the enzyme. The second goal of this research was to determine the effect of FPP analogues on the function of FTase target proteins. To test the effect of these analogues we determined whether the unnatural lipid could ablate oncogenic H-Ras biological function in a Xenopus laevis model system. Several analogues were able to disrupt oncogenic H-Ras function while others mimicked the activity of FPP. These results indicated that some of the FPP analogues may act a prenyl group function inhibitors that could lead to an important new class of anti-cancer therapeutics. Another major goal of this research was to use the FPP analogues as unnatural probes for the endogenous cellular activity of FTase target proteins. We developed antibodies to two of the unnatural FPP analogues to study their activity in cell cultureUtilizing these antibodies we found that alcohol prodrugs of the FPP analogues could be incorporated into cellular proteins in an FTase dependent manner. The ability of cell permeant analogues to be incorporated into live cells enhances the chances that such a molecule could be used to modify oncogenic cellular proteins with a prenyl group function inhibitor.

No description available.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) present an interesting method for the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Unlike in other photovoltaic technologies, the difficult tasks of light absorption and charge transport are handled by two different materials in DSSCs. At the heart of the DSSC, molecular light absorbers (dyes) are responsible for converting light into current. In this thesis the design, synthesis and properties of new metal-free D-π-A dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells will be explored. The thesis is divided into six parts: Part one offers a general introduction to DSSCs, dye design and device characterization. Part two is an investigation of a series of donor substituted dyes where structural benefits are compared against electronic benefits. In part three a dye assembly consisting of a chromophore tethered to two electronically decoupled donors is described. The assembly, capable of intramolecular regeneration, is found to impede recombination. Part four explores a method for rapidly synthesizing new D-π-A dyes by dividing them into donor, linker and acceptor fragments that can be assembled in two simple steps. The method is applied to synthesize a series of linker varied dyes for cobalt based redox mediators that builds upon the experience from part two. Part five describes the synthesis of a bromoacrylic acid based dye and explores the photoisomerization of a few bromo- and cyanoacrylic acid based dyes. Finally, in part six the experiences from previous chapters are combined in the design and synthesis of a D-π-A dye bearing a new pyridinedicarboxylic acid acceptor and anchoring group. / <p>QC 20140509</p>

This thesis is divided into four chapters that describe the new development in rhodium-catalyzed addition reactions and asymmetric ring opening (ARO) reactions of strained alkenes. Chapter 1 describes a regioselective Rh(I)-catalyzed addition reaction of arylboronic acids to unactivated alkenes - protected allylic amines and allyl sulfones. These formal hydroarylation processes have significantly advanced the substrate scope. Comprehensive studies were carried out to optimize the reaction conditions and a wide range of arylboronic acids were employed. The reaction was found to be linear-selective and a mechanism based on functional group- directing effects has been proposed. Chapter 2 discloses the discovery of Rh(I)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to (benzyl- /arylsulfonyl)acetonitriles. Novel β-sulfonylvinylamine products were formed in a stereoselective fashion (Z-alkene). Upon hydrolysis, β-keto sulfones were obtained with a broad scope of aryl and sulfonyl substituents. These (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines were useful synthons in the synthesis of unsymmetrical polysubstituted pyridines via 1-aza-allyl anion intermediates as well as 1,4- benzothiazine derivatives via intramolecular cyclization. Chapter 3 reports the use of two new nucleophiles in Rh(I)-catalyzed ARO of oxabicyclic alkenes - water and triethylamine trihydrofluoride. In the water-induced ARO, an unprecedented domino ARO/isomerization process was discovered which led to the formation of 2-hydroxy-1- tetralones. By modifying the reaction conditions, trans-1,2-diols can be obtained in excellent enantioselectivity. Using triethylamine trihydrofluoride as a nucleophile, an aliphatic C-F bond was constructed enantioselectively in the ring-opening process which provided fluorinated building blocks containing both allylic fluoride and fluorohydrin units. Finally, Chapter 4 details the development of a one-pot synthesis of a chiral dihydrobenzofuran framework using Rh-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening and Pd-catalyzed C-O coupling. The product can be obtained in excellent enantioselectivity without isolation of intermediates. Systematic metal-ligand studies were carried out to investigate the compatibility of each catalytic system using product enantiopurity as an indicator.

This thesis is divided into four chapters that describe the new development in rhodium-catalyzed addition reactions and asymmetric ring opening (ARO) reactions of strained alkenes. Chapter 1 describes a regioselective Rh(I)-catalyzed addition reaction of arylboronic acids to unactivated alkenes - protected allylic amines and allyl sulfones. These formal hydroarylation processes have significantly advanced the substrate scope. Comprehensive studies were carried out to optimize the reaction conditions and a wide range of arylboronic acids were employed. The reaction was found to be linear-selective and a mechanism based on functional group- directing effects has been proposed. Chapter 2 discloses the discovery of Rh(I)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to (benzyl- /arylsulfonyl)acetonitriles. Novel β-sulfonylvinylamine products were formed in a stereoselective fashion (Z-alkene). Upon hydrolysis, β-keto sulfones were obtained with a broad scope of aryl and sulfonyl substituents. These (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines were useful synthons in the synthesis of unsymmetrical polysubstituted pyridines via 1-aza-allyl anion intermediates as well as 1,4- benzothiazine derivatives via intramolecular cyclization. Chapter 3 reports the use of two new nucleophiles in Rh(I)-catalyzed ARO of oxabicyclic alkenes - water and triethylamine trihydrofluoride. In the water-induced ARO, an unprecedented domino ARO/isomerization process was discovered which led to the formation of 2-hydroxy-1- tetralones. By modifying the reaction conditions, trans-1,2-diols can be obtained in excellent enantioselectivity. Using triethylamine trihydrofluoride as a nucleophile, an aliphatic C-F bond was constructed enantioselectively in the ring-opening process which provided fluorinated building blocks containing both allylic fluoride and fluorohydrin units. Finally, Chapter 4 details the development of a one-pot synthesis of a chiral dihydrobenzofuran framework using Rh-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening and Pd-catalyzed C-O coupling. The product can be obtained in excellent enantioselectivity without isolation of intermediates. Systematic metal-ligand studies were carried out to investigate the compatibility of each catalytic system using product enantiopurity as an indicator.

One of the largest problems in current medicine is the shortage of organs for transplant due to technological limitations in the storage of organs for any length of time. A possible solution to this problem would involve cryopreservation. However, current cryopreservatives such as sucrose or DMSO have concerning cytotoxic issues that limit their possible applications. A major cause of cryoinjury is the uncontrolled recrystallization of inter and intra-cellular ice crystals that occurs during the thawing process leading to mechanical damage and dehydration. The Ben lab has thus been interested in the design of compounds that are capable of inhibiting this process but do not possess other undesirable properties found in the native compounds. These synthetic analogues have been shown to increase cellular viability post-thaw. A series of mixed α/β glycopeptides are prepared and analyzed for antifreeze properties. The results of this study imply that it is not the gross conformation of the glycopeptide that is responsible for activity, but rather that intramolecular relationships may be responsible for disrupting the reorganization of ice. A technique was devised for the incorporation of triazoles into the analogues to investigate the importance of the linker and to greatly simplify the synthesis of a library of glycoconjugates. It was found that the IRI activity of glycopeptides is very sensitive to the distance between carbohydrate and peptide backbone. The electron density at the anomeric oxygen is an important parameter with respect to intramolecular networks. A series of substituted galactosides is presented that modify the electronics of the anomeric oxygen. The results demonstrate that decreasing electron density at this position appears to improve IRI activity in a predictable manner. To better understand the remarkable IRI activity of a key analogue, it was systematically truncated. This study led to the serendipitous discovery of a series of very highly IRI active analogues that do not contain a peptide backbone. These compounds represent the first non-glycopeptides that can show very significant IRI activity even at very low concentrations. The final portion of the thesis reports the efforts towards the preparation of a carbasugar analogue of AFGP-8.

Obesity constitutes a problem whose manifestations have consequences in almost every field of the medicine and nowadays there is a lack of pharmacological therapy alternatives for its long term treatment. Lipidic compounds as endocannabinoids and PPAR-α ligands are known to play an important role in the modulation of appetite and metabolism. Three series of fatty acid derivatives of catechol compounds were synthesized and their biological activity evaluated. Some of the synthesized compounds presented LDL antioxidant activity and/or food intake modulation in an animal model and their mechanism of action was also evaluated. The pharmacodynamics of the synthesized compounds could be explained by CB1 and PPAR-α interactions nevertheless it does not explain the activity of all compounds. / La obesidad es un problema cuyas manifestaciones tienen consecuencias en casi todos los campos de la medicina y actualmente existe una escasez de terapias farmacológicas para su tratamiento de uso continuo. Se sabe que algunos compuestos lipídicos como los endocanabinoides y ligandos del PPAR-α participan de manera importante en la modulación del apetito y en el metabolismo. Tres series de compuestos derivados de ácidos grasos con compuestos catecólicos fueron sintetizadas y sus actividades biológicas fueron evaluadas. Algunos de los compuestos presentó inhibición de la oxidación de la LDL y/o modulación de la ingesta en modelo animal y sus mecanismos de acción fueron también evaluados. La actividad de los compuestos pasa por interacciones con el receptor CB1 y el PPAR-α pero estas interacciones no explican la actividad de todos los compuestos