This thesis describes the development and mechanistic studies of carbocyclization reactions of allene-substituted olefins and 1,3-dienes, catalyzed by palladium(0) and palladium(II). These reactions results in the formation of [n,3,0] bicyclic systems (n = 3-5) with high stereoselectivity and in good to excellent yields. The first carbocyclization presented is a novel palladium(0)-catalyzed cyclo- isomerization of allene-substituted olefins. Secondly an efficient aerobic biomimetic system has been developed for a Pd(II)-catalyzed allylic oxidative carbocyclization of allene-substituted olefins. Additionally, during the studies of palladium-catalyzed carbocyclizations of allene-substituted olefins, it was found that in the absence of palladium a mild thermal ene-reaction occurs. In this manner stereodefined, functionalized bicyclic compounds are obtained with good regioselectivity and in high yields. The third and fourth carbocyclization developed are a palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation and a palladium(0)-catalyzed intramolecular telomerization of allene-substituted 1,3-dienes. A mechanistic study of the palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation of allene-substituted 1,3-dienes was made, and reaction intermediates could be isolated. The stereochemistry of the reaction intermediates was assigned, and this made it possible to suggest a mechanism for the reaction. The presented mechanism is a trans carbopalladation of the 1,3-diene, where the allene act as the carbon nucleophile. Due to different stereochemical outcomes of the stoichiometric and catalytic reactions, this mechanism could only explain the stoichiometric reaction. Another mechanism for the catalytic reaction was suggested, which rationalizes both the regio- and stereochemistry of the products.

This study aims synthesis of metal/polymer one dimensional nanostructures by micelle formation, reduction, and electrospinning route, and to analyze the morphological characteristics of composite nanofibers. The study was carried out in three main steps. First, the reverse micelle structures were established between the anionic surfactant and the metal ion. The surfactant acts as an agent to bind metal ions together so that the arrangements of metal ions can be controlled in the solution. As the surfactant concentration increases, reverse micelles grow and reverse wormlike micelle structures are observed. Wormlike micelles are elongated semi flexible aggregates which form a spherocylinder form repeating units. Metal ions are in the core and surrounded with the surfactant. The polymer attached to the wormlike structure acts as a shield and prevents phase separation in a hydrophilic medium. Different polymer and surfactant concentrations were tried to determine the optimum polymer and surfactant concentrations for reverse micelle formation. The size analyses of the reverse micelle structures were done by dynamic light scattering technique. In the second step, metal ions in the micelles were reduced by using hydrazine hydrate to obtain metal cores in the center of wormlike micelles. Finally, electrospinning was carried at room temperature and in air atmosphere. The characterization of nano composites was done by Scanning Electron Microscopy. It was found that the size of the reverse micelle structures affects the distribution of metal nano partices in polymer nano fibers. In order to distribute the metal nano particles homogeneously, the optimum size of reverse wormlike micelles was found to be between 420 and 450 nm.

In this study, the synthesis of 5-ferrocenyl/aryl-4-(phenylselenyl)-1H-pyrazole derivatives was investigated since the integration of ferrocenyl and selenium moieties into pyrazole derivatives may increase their current biological activities. Initially, the starting propargyl aldehydes were synthesized from corresponding acetylenes. Subsequently, propargyl aldehydes were reacted with hydrazines to yield corresponding hydrazones. Then the in situ synthesized hydrazones were subjected to electrophilic cyclization with phenylselenyl chloride, which afforded 5-ferrocenyl/aryl-4-(phenylselenyl)-1H-pyrazoles in one-pot manner. Subsequently, reaction conditions were optimized in terms of electrophile, base, temperature and solvent. Best results were obtained with phenylselenyl chloride and NaHCO3 at room temperature in DCM for ferrocenyl substituted pyrazoles and DCE for aryl substituted pyrazoles. In summary, by employing the electrophilic cyclizations of in situ synthesized acetylenic hydrazones, a variety of 5-ferrocenyl/aryl-4-(phenylselenyl)-1H-pyrazole derivatives were synthesized in one-pot way in moderate to good yields.

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed Mar. 3, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Rina Tannenbaum; Committee Co-Chair: Rosario A. Gerhardt; Committee Member: E. Kent Barefield; Committee Member: Karl I. Jacob; Committee Member: Preet Singh; Committee Member: R. Bruce King. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Trimethyltin fluoride (Me3SnF) is a useful fluorinating agent in organometallic chemistry. Its solid-state structure has been investigated by X-ray crystallography showing a polymeric fluorine-bridged structure. Disorder, however, has precluded the accurate refinement of all structural parameters. In order to obtain accurate structural information, trimethyltin fluoride was investigated using high-resolution 13C, 19F, and 119Sn solid-state NMR spectroscopy using a four-channel HFXY capability. The 119Sn{1H} solid-state NMR spectrum agrees with pentacoordination about Sn in this compound. The high-resolution 119Sn{19F, 1H}, 13C{1H,19F} and 19F{1H} NMR spectra offer unambiguous determination of 1J(119Sn-19F) and 1J(119Sn-13C) coupling constants. Furthermore, the analysis of the 119Sn{19F, 1H}, 119Sn{1H}, and 19F{1H} MAS spectra as a function of spinning speed allowed for the determination of the 119Sn CSA and J anisotropy, as well as the 119Sn-19F dipolar couplings. These were determined via SIMPSON simulations of the 13C, 19F, and 119Sn NMR spectra. Finally the 119Sn{19F, 1H} revealed fine structure as the result of 119Sn-117Sn two bond J-coupling, seen here for the first time. Sulfur tetrafluoride can act as a Lewis acid. Claims had been presented for the formation of an adduct between SF4 and pyridine, but no conclusive characterization had been performed. In the present study, adducts of SF4 with pyridine, lutidine, 4-picoline and triethylamine were prepared and characterized by low-temperature Raman spectroscopy. Sulfur tetrafluoride also acts as a fluoride-ion donor towards strong Lewis acids, such as AsF5 and SbF5, forming SF3 + salts. Variable-temperature (VT) solid-state 19F NMR spectroscopy showed that SF3 +SbF6 – exists in three phases with phase transitions at ca. –45 and –85°C, while SF3 +AsF6 – exists only as one phase between +20 and –150 °C. The phases of SF3 +AsF6 – were also characterized by VT Raman spectroscopy. / xvi, 170 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

Transition metal organometallic chemistry is a rapidly expanding field, which has an important relationship to industrial problems of petrochemical catalysis. This thesis describes studies of fundamental organometallic reaction processes, such as C-H and C-C bond formation and cleavage, and investigations of the structure and bonding of organometallic compounds. A number of techniques were used to pursue these studies, including synthesis, X-ray crystallography, and semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations. [continued in text ...]

This thesis is concerned with structure-reactivity relationships in metallocene chemistry. In particular new ansa-metallocenes of Groups 5-7 have been prepared. The structure and reactivity of these ansa-metallocenes is compared to the corresponding nonbridged metallocenes.

<p>Numerous methodologies for efficient formation of carbon-nitrogen bonds have been developed over the decades due to the widespread importance of nitrogen containing compounds in pharmaceuticals and bulk commercial chemicals. Among many methods, hydroamination, especially, has attracted enormous attention because of its atom-economical characteristic to synthesize amine moieties. As a result, numerous publications have been reported relating the hydroamination reaction using various metal catalysts. However, the hydroamination of unactivated alkenes still remains a challenge task because of the low reactivity of the CC double bond. Recent development of superior gold(I) catalysis in many organic transformations stimulated us to develop efficient gold(I)-catalyzed methods for enantioselective intra- and intermolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes. </p><p>A gold(I)-catalyzed system for enantioselective intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes has been developed. For the effective gold(I)-catalyzed method, various gold(I)-catalysts have been synthesized and tested. Among the catalysts, bis(gold) complexes containing an axially chiral bis(phosphine) ligand catalyze the enantioselective intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes with carboxamide derivatives, most effectively. The method was effective for both carbamates and ureas to form pyrrolidine derivatives with up to 85 % ee.</p><p>The first enantioselective intermolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes was realized by a gold(I)-catalyzed method. The gold(I) catalyst system adds cyclic ureas to unactivated 1-alkenes to produce corresponding enantiomerically enriched hydroamination product in good yield with enantioselectivity up to 78 % ee. </p><p>Polymer-embedded ligands have been synthesized to demonstrate proofs of concepts for fluxional mechanocatalysis. We applied a certain shear stress using a rheometer in the course of palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation to examine catalytic reactivity change under the mechanical force.</p> / Dissertation