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This thesis focuses on the construction of individual isomers of the R-CHF-CHF-CHF-R’ motif. The multi-vicinal fluorine motif is new in organic chemistry and therefore stereoselective methods giving rapid access to these motifs and with flexibility need to be explored. The research in the thesis succeeded in the preparation of (2S,3R,4S)-314 and (2S,3S,4R)-328. In Chapter 1, an overview of the impact of fluorine in organic molecules is given. Recent developments in asymmetric electrophilic and nucleophilic fluorination are described, as well as the preparation of multivicinal fluoroalkane motifs. Aldol reactions of either (R)- or (S)-N-(α-fluoropropyl)-2-oxazolidinones, mediated by TiCl 4 are reported in Chapter 2. Such aldol reactions gave rise to identical α-fluoro-β-hydroxy- aldol products with high diastereoselectivities (95% dr). After removal from the auxiliary α- fluoro-β-hydroxy- products were converted to the corresponding α,β-difluoro products. The synthesis of non symmetric vicinal trifluoro motifs (2S,3R,4S)-314 and (2S,3S,4R)-328 is described in Chapter 3. They were prepared by direct fluorination in three steps of the corresponding (2R,3R,4R)-erythro and (2R,3S,4S)-threo enantio-enriched epoxy-alcohols. The two erythro and threo epoxy-alcohol isomers behave very differently during the first fluorination step and then an attempt to study and rationalise this difference in behaviour is made.

This thesis focuses on studies investigating the structure of intermediates involved in fluorometabolite biosynthesis, and the potential applications of the fluorinase enzyme in positron emission tomography (PET). Chapter 1 introduces the rare natural occurrence of fluorinated compounds. The bacterium Streptomyces cattleya is known to biosynthesise two fluorinated secondary metabolites: the toxin fluoroacetate (FAc) and the antibiotic 4-fluorothreonine (4-FT). The enzymes and intermediates identified on this fluorometabolite biosynthetic pathway in S. cattleya, prior to this research, are discussed in detail. Chapter 2 presents studies towards the unambiguous structural identification of (3R,4S)-5- deoxy-5-fluoro-D-ribulose-1-phosphate (5-FRulP) as the third fluorinated intermediate on the biosynthetic pathway to fluoroacetate and 4-fluorothreonine in S. cattleya. Chapter 3 describes the synthetic routes to key molecules, necessary as reference compounds and substrates, to underpin the subsequent studies in this thesis. In particular, synthetic routes to 5'-deoxy-5'-fluoroadenosine (5'-FDA), 5'-deoxy-5'-fluoroinosine (5'-FDI), 5-deoxy-5-fluoro-D-ribose (5-FDR) and 5-deoxy-5-fluoro-D-xylose (5-FDX) are described. Chapter 4 describes the use of the fluorinase enzyme from S. cattleya as a tool for the synthesis of new [¹⁸F]-labelled sugars with potential application in positron emission tomography (PET). A new route to 5-deoxy-5-[¹⁸F]fluoro-D-ribose ([¹⁸F]FDR) is developed in a two-step enzymatic synthesis. A total of three potential radiotracers ([¹⁸F]FDA, [¹⁸F]FDR and [¹⁸F]FDI) are synthesised using fluorinase-coupled enzyme reactions. In addition, in vitro studies are reported with these [¹⁸F]-labelled sugars to investigate their uptake and potential as PET radiotracers in cancer cells. A preliminary rat imaging study with [¹⁸F]FDA is reported. Chapter 5 details the experimental procedures for the compounds synthesised in this research and the biological procedures for chemo-enzymatic syntheses and protein purification.

The following work describes the synthesis of compounds carrying a vicinal difluoro motif and the evaluation of this structural element to influence the conformation of organic molecules. The synthesis of erythro and threo 1,2-difluoro-1,2-diphenylethane was achieved by bromofluorination and subsequent halogen exchange from stilbene. Oxidative degradation of the phenyl rings allowed to access erythro and threo 2,3- difluorosuccinic acids and a variety of derivatives thereof. The conformations of these compounds were investigated by means of X-ray analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Conformational analysis of derivatives of 2,3-difluorosuccinic acid was carried out using JHFandJHHNMR coupling constants. A clear preference for the conformations in which the two vicinal C-F bonds are gauche emerged from these calculations, which was confirmed by temperature and solvent dependent NMR analyses. The vicinal difluoro motif was incorporated into small peptide structures. In the solid state, a strong preference to align the vicinal C-F bonds gauche to each other was observed and when adjacent to an amide moiety, the C-F bond was found to prefer an anti periplanar orientation with respect to the carbonyl bond. These effects appeared to override steric and electrostatic interactions. The conformation of these fluorinecontaining peptides showed a clear dependence on the stereochemicaol rientation of the C-F bonds, and this appears to be an effective tool for influencing the secondary and consequently tertiary structure in a predictable manner. In order to access single enantiomerso f peptides having the vicinal difluoro, motif, a stereoselectiver oute to R,R and SS 2,3-difluorosuccinic was developed. This involved nucleophilic fluorination of the cyclic sulfates generated from (R, R)- and (SS)- diethyl tartrates and subsequent deoxofluorination of the intermediate fluorohydrins.

Lai, Kwing To = 鐵基超導體的合成與分析 : 氟及釔合摻SmFeAsO / 黎烱韜. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Lai, Kwing To = Tie ji chao dao ti de he cheng yu fen xi : fu ji yi he shan SmFeAsO / Li Jiongtao. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vii / List of table captions --- p.x / List of figure captions --- p.xi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Superconductivity --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Physical properties --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1.1 --- Zero resistance --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1.2 --- Meissner effect --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.1.3 --- Josephson effect --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Type I and II superconductivity --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2 --- Iron-based superconductors --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Classifications and structures --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Physical properties --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Iron-based superconductors versus Cuprate superconductors --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Correlation between high-Tc superconductivity and magnetism --- p.14 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Quantum phase transition by doping --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.6 --- Sample preparation of undoped and doped iron-based superconductors --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives of this research project --- p.18 / References --- p.20 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1 --- Theories of superconductivity --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- London equation --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Ginzburg-Landau theory --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Mean-field theory and Landau theory --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Spatial varying order parameter and Gauge symmetry --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1.2.3 --- Applications --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- BCS theory --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2 --- Magnetism in condensed matters --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Ferromagnetism and Antiferromagnetism from local moments --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Mathematical explanation in the mean-field approach --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Exchange interaction --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Antiferromagnetism in magnetic metals: Spin density wave --- p.45 / References --- p.52 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Methodology and Instrumentation --- p.53 / Chapter 3.1 --- Sample preparation --- p.53 / Chapter 3.2 --- Characterization --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Electron diffraction --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- X-ray diffraction (XRD) --- p.56 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) --- p.57 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Physical properties measuring system (PPMS) --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.5.1 --- Transport properties --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.5.2 --- Magnetic properties --- p.60 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Raman spectroscopy --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3 --- Precautions --- p.62 / References --- p.63 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Results --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1 --- Fluorine-doped SmFeAsO --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Morphologies and microstructures --- p.67 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Phase and composition --- p.69 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Lattice constants --- p.72 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Transport properties --- p.73 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- Magnetic properties --- p.74 / Chapter 4.2 --- Fluorine and Yttrium co-doped SmFeAsO --- p.78 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Morphologies and microstructures --- p.79 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Phase and composition --- p.82 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Lattice constants --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Oxidation state --- p.85 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Transport properties --- p.88 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Magnetic properties --- p.89 / Chapter 4.3 --- Quality control of the superconducting products --- p.94 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Intermediate product SmAs --- p.95 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Intermediate product FeAs --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Effects of annealing temperature --- p.110 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.112 / References --- p.112 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Discussions --- p.113 / Chapter 5.1 --- Effects of F doping --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2 --- Effects of YF doping --- p.115 / Chapter 5.3 --- Improvements in the quality of the superconducting samples --- p.117 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.124 / References --- p.125 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusions and Suggestions for Future work --- p.126 / Chapter 6.1 --- Conclusions --- p.'126 / Chapter 6.2 --- Suggestions for future work --- p.128 / References --- p.130 / Chapter Appendix A --- Sealing samples in small evacuated silica capsules for DTA measurements --- p.131 / Chapter Appendix B --- AC susceptibility measurement --- p.133 / Chapter Appendix C --- Suggested readings for beginners --- p.135 / Bibliography --- p.138

This thesis is divided into three main results chapters that reflect the path my research took. In the first results chapter, the first organocatalyst for the carbonyl-ene reaction was discovered and found to give high conversion using 1,3-bis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea. Various carbonyl and alkene precursors were examined in the ene reaction in both catalysed and uncatalysed reactions. It was found that ene reactions using fluoral and ethyl trifluoropyruvate give higher rates of reaction when compared to other carbonyl compounds. A novel enantiopure thiourea was synthesised and the ene reaction was catalysed enantioselectively to 33% e.e. In an attempt to catalyse the reaction to a further extent a new thiourea bonded to a P(=S)R2 group was developed. However, the intramolecular hydrogen bonding of this catalyst was thought to be so strong that this it did not catalyse the reaction. The synthesis of a chiral phosphoric acid was achieved but this was an unsuccessful catalyst in the ene reaction. Two component achiral thiourea and chiral acids were also examined in the ene and Mannich-type reaction. The new easily synthesised thiourea for this reaction has an interesting intermolecular hydrogen bonding coordination in the solid state. Asymmetric fluorination of ketoesters using palladium is a dynamic kinetic resolution. In the 2nd chapter cationic palladium complexes were synthesised and used to determine the optimum parameters for bidentate ligands in this reaction. Four carbon chain phosphines were found to give the highest conversion for this reaction among those ligands tested such as 1,4-bisdiphenylphosphinobutane (bite angle 99º). A new bis-phosphinous amide chiral ligand was developed with a bite angle of 96.7º. The dichloropalladium complex of this phosphine was isolated and structurally characterised. The use of the palladium complex in asymmetric fluorination was attempted however this was found to be unsuccessful. Mechanistic studies reveal that the formation of the desired cationic catalyst did not occur under conditions shown to work well for other palladium phosphine complexes. The ligand was investigated further in hydrogenation reactions. The phosphinous amide was protected as its borane and was used in the rhodium catalysed hydrogenation of alkenes to give high conversion and up to 93% e.e. The borane protected phosphinous amide was also found to catalyse the hydrogenation of acetophenone using copper complexes with up to 84% e.e for the hydrogenation of acetophenone, although conversion was quite low.

Chapter 1 gives an overview of the fluorine chemistry field, from its early developments to recent applications in medicinal chemistry. The development of asymmetric electrophilic or nucleophilic installation of fluorine in organic molecules is highlighten. Chapter 2 of this thesis discusses the enantioselective synthesis of α-fluoroamides. The study is applied to the synthesis of fluoroenantiomers of the bioactive molecule capsaicin and short-chain analogues. The biological activity of these compounds is assayed with the TRPV1 receptor. Results show that enantioselective α-fluoroamides (R)-97, (R)-99 and (S)-99 can generate differentiated biological responses, from TRPV1 agonists to TRPV1 antagonists. Chapter 3 focuses on the optimisation and development of 2-(aminomethyl)piperidine (R)-251 dihydrochloride. The development of 2-(aminomethyl)piperidine (R)-251 as its ditetrafluoroborate salt proved to offer excellent reactivity and solubility for the preparation of derivatives. This tetrafluoroborate salt was used to improve the syntheses of organocatalysts 2,2,2-trifluoro-N-(piperidin-2-ylmethyl)acetamide 363 and 4-methyl-N-(piperidin-2-ylmethyl)benzenesulfonamide 364.The catalytic properties of these latter two molecules for asymmetric Mannich reaction is demonstrated. Both (R)-363 and (R)-364 show up to 86% ee, in a typical 20 mol% loading, but loading of (R)-363 as low as 5 mol% still induces the catalysis.