The main focus of this thesis is on photochemical modulation of molecular recognition in various host-guest systems. This involves the design, synthesis and integration of light-triggered conformational switches into peptidomimetic guests and molecular tweezer hosts. The impact of the switches on guest and host structures has been assessed by spectroscopic and computational conformational analysis. Effects of photochemical structure modulation on molecular recognition in protein-ligand and supramolecular host-guest systems are discussed. Phototriggerable peptidomimetic inhibitors of the enzyme M. tuberculosis ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) were obtained by incorporation of a stilbene based amino acid moiety into oligopeptides between 3-9 residues long (Paper I). Interstrand hydrogen bond probability in the E and Z forms of the peptidomimetics was used as a tool for predicting conformational preferences. Considerable differences in inhibitory potency for the E and Z photoisomers were demonstrated in a binding assay. In order to advance the concept of photomodulable inhibitors, synthetic routes towards amino acid derivatives based on the more rigid stiff-stilbene chromophore were developed (Paper II).  The effect of E-Z isomerization on the conformational properties of peptidomimetic inhibitors incorporating the stiff-stilbene chromophore was also assessed computationally (Paper III). It was indicated that inhibitors with the more rigid amino acid derivative should display larger conformational divergence between photoisomers than corresponding stilbene derivatives. Bisporphyrin tweezers with enediyne and stiff-stilbene spacers have been synthesized, and the conformational characteristics imposed by the spacers have been studied and compared to a glycoluril linked tweezer. The effects of spacers on tweezer binding of diamine guests and helicity induction by chiral guests have been investigated (Paper IV). Connections between spacer flexibility and host-guest binding strength have been established. The structural properties of the stiff-stilbene spaced tweezer made it particularly susceptible to helicity induction by both monotopic and bitopic chiral guests. Finally, the possibility of photochemical bite-size variation of tweezers with photoswitchable spacers has been assessed. Initial studies have shown that photoisomerization of the tweezers is possible without photochemical decomposition. Conformational analyses indicate that isomerization should impact binding characteristics of the tweezers to a significant extent (Paper V).

Luminescent transition metal complexes have attracted tremendous interest in the analytical field. Most luminescent metal complexes possess long emission lifetimes in the visible region, and their phosphorescence can be readily distinguished from short-lived background auto-fluorescence. Moreover, their large Stokes shift can prevent self-quenching, while their modular synthesis allows their properties to be readily tuned without labor-intensive synthetic protocols. These properties render transition metal complexes as promising candidates for the development of biosensors. In this study, I aimed to explore different kinds of Ir(III) complexes that can be used as biosensors to monitor DNA secondary structures or protein conformations. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction regarding the luminescence mechanism of transition metal complexes, and the properties, structures and preparations of Ir(III) complexes are also introduced. Chapters 24 report the syntheses and screening of Ir(III) complexes, and the use of these Ir(III) complexes to monitor the secondary structure of DNA, such as G-quadruplex, G-triplex and i-motif DNA. Chapter 2 reports the G-quadruplex-selective properties of two luminescent Ir(III) complexes 2.1 and 2.9 for the detection of ochratoxin A (OTA) and nicking endonuclease in aqueous solution, respectively; Chapter 3 explores a novel Ir(III) complex 3.8 which is highly specific for G-triplex DNA, and was thus employed for Mung Bean nuclease activity detection; Chapter 4 introduces the Ir(III) complex 4.1 that exhibited a high signal enhancement to i-motif DNA, and was therefore used for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) activity detection. Chapter 5 describes the two novel cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes 5.1 and 5.21 that were used to monitor two kinds of proteins, human serum albumin (HSA) and beta-amyloid(140) (Aβ140), respectively.

O cromo hexavalente – Cr(VI) – presente nos efluentes das indústrias galvânicas, entre outras, é tóxico para maioria dos micro-organismos e potencialmente danoso para a saúde humana. No presente trabalho se estuda a redução de Cr(VI) pelos processos fotoquímicos com álcoois e fotocatálise heterogênea, primeiramente em um reator batelada, com objetivo de obter o melhor processo para aplicação industrial. Na sequência, foram realizados experimentos com efluente industrial, contendo Cr(VI), proveniente de uma indústria galvânica. Após, foram projetados e construídos dois reatores contínuos, o reator em forma de espiral e o reator tubular (radiação artificial e luz solar), com intuito de viabilizar a aplicação industrial do melhor processo de redução de Cr(VI). As reações de redução fotocatalítica de Cr(VI), sob radiação UV, alcançaram reduções totais de Cr(VI) de 66,5% e 56,7% para os catalisadores TiO2 e ZnO, respectivamente, indicando que o catalisador TiO2 foi mais eficiente que o catalisador ZnO. As reações de redução fotoquímica de Cr(VI) com etanol apresentaram altos valores de redução total de Cr(VI), sendo que as reações sob radiação UV (96,1%) foram mais eficientes que as reações sob radiação visível (48,1%). Na redução fotocatalítica de Cr(VI) com TiO2, na presença de etanol, sob radiação UV, foi observada uma redução de Cr(VI) de 92,9% maior do que a redução obtida nas reações fotocatalíticas com TiO2 sob radiação UV (66,5%), evidenciando o efeito sinérgico entre a oxidação do etanol e a redução do Cr(VI). Quando usados com efluente industrial, estes processos mostraram-se eficientes e obtiveram altos valores de redução total de Cr(VI), possibilitando o uso destes tratamentos para remoção de Cr(VI) presente em efluentes de indústrias galvânicas. Entretanto, dentre estes processos estudados, o mais indicado para aplicação industrial foi a fotoquímica com etanol sob radiação UV, pois dispensa o uso de processos de separação do catalisador e apresenta menores custos com reagentes, sendo o etanol de baixo custo, não tóxico e de fácil aquisição. O reator contínuo espiral, projetado e construído, mostrou-se mais eficiente do que o reator batelada, apresentando uma eficiência fotônica de 2,5% comparada a 1,4% para o reator batelada. Ainda, este reator mostrou-se eficiente quando usado com efluente industrial, apresentando uma redução total de Cr(VI) de 51,8%, em 6 horas de reação, sendo sua configuração considerada suscetível para um scale-up. Assim, um reator tubular (radiação artificial e luz solar) foi projetado e construído em escala semi-piloto. Este reator apresentou uma remediação de Cr(VI), presente no efluente industrial, de 86,7% em 6 horas de reação sob luz solar e mostrou uma eficiência fotônica maior do que o reator contínuo espiral. Ainda, o reator tubular apresentou eficiência fotônica similar quando usado com lâmpadas (5,6%) ou luz solar (5,5%), porém as reações sob luz solar mostraram uma maior redução total de Cr(VI) quando comparadas com as reações sob radiação artificial. Assim, o reator tubular, projetado e construído, mostrou-se eficiente quando aplicado para o tratamento de efluente industrial contendo Cr(VI), pelo processo de redução fotoquímica. Além disso, o uso do reator tubular solar minimiza a quantidade de energia elétrica necessária para a reação, reduzindo não somente os custos do processo, como também se tornando uma tecnologia ambientalmente sustentável. / Hexavalent chromium – Cr(VI) – present in wastewater discharge of galvanic industries is toxic to most microorganisms and potentially harmful to human health. In this work were studied Cr(VI) reduction by heterogeneous photocatalysis and photochemistry with alcohols processes, firstly in a batch reactor, in order to obtain the best process for industrial application. Subsequently, experiments were conducted using real wastewater from an electroplating plant. In order to feasible the industrial application of best Cr(VI) reduction process were designed and built two continuous reactors, the spiral shaped reactor and the tubular reactor (artificial radiation and sunlight). The photocatalytic reduction reaction of Cr(VI) under UV radiation achieved total Cr(VI) reduction of 66.5% and 56.7% for TiO2 and ZnO catalysts, respectively, indicating that the TiO2 catalyst was more efficient than ZnO catalyst. The photochemical reduction reaction of Cr(VI) with ethanol presented high values of total Cr(VI) reduction, and the reactions under UV radiation (96.10%) were more efficient than the reactions under visible radiation (48.1%). In the photocatalytic reduction reaction of Cr(VI) with TiO2 in the presence of ethanol under UV radiation was observed a Cr(VI) reduction of 92.9% greater than the reduction obtained in the photocatalytic reactions with TiO2 under UV radiation (66.5%), demonstrating the synergistic effect between ethanol oxidation and Cr(VI) reduction. When used with real wastewater these processes proved to be efficient and showed high values of total Cr(VI) reduction, enabling the use of these treatments for removal of Cr(VI) present in wastewater discharge of galvanic industries. However, among these processes studied, the most suitable for industrial application appears to be photochemistry with ethanol under UV radiation, because it does not require catalyst separation processes and presents lower reagent costs, since ethanol is inexpensive, non-toxic and easy to purchase. The spiral shaped reactor, which was designed and built, showed more efficient than the batch reactor, presenting a photonic efficiency of 2.5% compared to 1.4% for the batch reactor. Additionally, this reactor was effective when applied to real wastewater, presenting a total Cr(VI) reduction of 51.8% in 6 hours of reaction, and its configuration is suitable for scale up. Thus, a tubular reactor (artificial radiation and sunlight) was designed and built in semi-pilot scale. This reactor presented a Cr(VI) remediation of 86.7% in 6 hours of reaction under sunlight and showed a photonic efficiency higher than spiral shaped reactor. Additionally, the tubular reactor presented similar photonic efficiency when used with either lamps (5.6%) or sunlight (5.5%), however the reactions under sunlight showed a greater total Cr(VI) reduction when compared to the reactions under artificial radiation. Therefore, the tubular reactor, which was designed and built, proved to be efficient when applied to treatment of real wastewater containing Cr(VI) by photochemical reduction process. Furthermore, the use of a solar tubular reactor minimizes the amount of electricity required for the reaction, which not only reduces process costs, but also makes the technology more environmentally sustainable.

L’objectif de ces travaux de thèse est d’améliorer les connaissances sur les réacteurs photochimiques afin de permettre une conception, un dimensionnement et un pilotage plus efficace, compatible avec des contraintes industrielles. Ces travaux se basent sur une méthode d’intensification des procédés et visent la mise en œuvre de réactions de photochimie préparative. La photochimie préparative est une voie de synthèse particulièrement attrayante dans le contexte de la chimie verte. Elle donne accès à des composés hautement fonctionnalisés (molécules à cycle tendu, hétéroatomes etc.) difficilement ou pas accessibles par voie thermique, de manière sélective, en très peu d’étapes réactionnelles et sans ajout des réactifs supplémentaires. Malgré ses potentialités, la transposition industrielle demeure limitée. Les principales contributions de cette thèse sont d’avoir analysé finement les bénéfices de la petite échelle pour la conduite de réactions photochimiques et d’avoir proposé une méthodologie pour transposer des réactions photochimiques dans des équipements industriels. Dans un premier temps, un outil numérique a été développé afin de modéliser le couplage entre les différents phénomènes rencontrés en microphotoréacteur (transfert radiatif, transport des espèces et cinétique photochimique). Une formulation du système d’équations basée sur des nombres sans dimension a été utilisée de façon à accéder à une vision indépendante de l’échelle de l’expérimentation. A cet effet, les nombres sans dimension classiquement rencontrés en génie de la réaction ont dû être adaptés aux spécificités des réactions photochimiques. Quatre nombres sans dimension contrôlant les performances en sortie de microphotoréacteur ont été mis en exergue : les nombres de Damköhler I et II, l’absorbance dans le milieu et le facteur de compétition d’absorption des photons incidents. A partir de ce modèle, une cartographie décrivant les différents régimes de fonctionnement rencontrés en microphotoréacteur a été établie. Une attention particulière a été ensuite portée sur les cas de fonctionnement où la conversion en sortie du réacteur est significativement réduite par la compétition des espèces pour absorber les photons. Cette compétition est liée au nombre de Damköhler II qui permet d’évaluer l’efficacité du mélange diffusif transverse. Ces simulations numériques ont abouti à la construction d’un abaque pour choisir les conditions opératoires à imposer afin de ne pas être limité par le mélange transverse. Dans un second temps, différents outils et dispositifs expérimentaux ont été développés afin de caractériser les réacteurs (notamment par actinométrie) et de suivre en ligne par spectrophotométrie différents systèmes réactionnels. Des microphotoréacteurs de type « capillary tower » et en spirale ont été conçus. Ces dispositifs expérimentaux ont permis d’opérer dans une très large gamme de conditions opératoires (flux de photons, temps de séjour) afin de valider les observations numériques. Pour cela, différents systèmes photochimiques ont été mis en œuvre : une photocycloaddition [2+2] intramoléculaire et deux systèmes photochromiques. Les résultats expérimentaux obtenus, avec ou sans limitation par le transfert diffusif transverse, ont clairement confirmé la pertinence des observations numériques. En outre, la faisabilité d’utiliser un microréacteur comme outils d’acquisition de données cinétiques de réactions photochimiques a été démontrée. Finalement, sur la base des observations expérimentales et numériques, une méthodologie générale est présentée sous forme de logigramme pour déterminer les paramètres de dimensionnement en microphotoréacteur (temps de séjour et densité de flux de photons reçus à la paroi). Des critères ont été proposés pour caractériser les microphotoréacteurs : la productivité, et de manière plus originale, le rendement énergétique global (incluant l’efficacité photonique). / This work aims at improving the knowledge on photochemical reactor engineering in order to propose a methodology to implement photochemical reactions in new continuous intensified technologies. Synthetic organic photochemistry is an extremely powerful method for the conversion of simple substrates into complex products, opening new perspectives. As photochemical substrate activation often occurs without additional reagents, the formation of by-products is also minimized, making photochemistry even more attractive in the modern context of Green Chemistry. The main contributions of this thesis are to finely analyze the benefits of the microreactor technology for performing photochemical reactions, and to propose methodology to transpose photochemical reactions from lab scale to industrial scale. Firstly, a numerical modeling has been proposed to describe the coupling between the different physical phenomena occurring inside a microphotoreactor (radiative transfer, mass and momentum transfers, photochemical kinetic). A formulation of the equation system based on dimensionless numbers has been used to access a generic view, independent of the scale of the experiment. For that, the dimensionless numbers classically encountered in chemical reaction engineering have been adapted to account for photochemical reaction specificity. Four dimensionless numbers controlling the performances at the microreactor’s outlet have been outlined: the Damköhler I and II numbers, the absorbance inside the medium and the competitive absorption factor. From these numbers, a map describing the different zones in which a microphotoreactor can operate has been established. A special attention has been then paid on the cases where the conversion at the microreactor’s outlet is significantly reduced due to the occurrence of a photon competitive absorption between several species. The influence of this competition phenomenon is directly linked to the Damköhler II number which assess for the transverse mixing efficiency. In a second time, various experimental tools and set-up have been developed to characterize photochemical reactors (measurement of the photon flux density received by actinometry) and to implement online analysis by spectrophotometry. A “capillary tower” and a “spiral” microphotoreactors have been developed. Both these microphotoreactors have enabled to operate in a wide range of operating conditions (photon flux, residence time) so as to validate numerical simulations. For that, three photochemical systems have been implemented: an intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition and two photochromic systems. The experimental results obtained have confirmed the relevancy of the numerical observations, whether some mass transfer limitations occur or not. Moreover, the feasibility to use a microphotoreactor as a tool for acquiring kinetic data on photochemical reactions has been demonstrated. Finally, based on the numerical and experimental observations, a detailed flow chart has been built to rapidly determine the key parameters for scaling a microphotoreactor (residence time and photon flux density). Some criteria have been proposed to characterize the microphotoreactor: the productivity and, more originally, the global energetic yield (including the photonic efficiency).

A fotodegradação de pesticidas, como os derivados de carbamatos orgânicos, possui um papel importante do ponto de vista ambiental, pois estes são extensivamente utilizados e comumente encontrados como contaminantes da água e do solo. O Rearranjo Foto-Fries (PFR) - a conversão fotoquímica de aril ésteres para orto- e para-hidroxifenonas - desempenha um importante papel na fotodegradação de drogas e pesticidas carbamatos, além de ser um passo chave para a síntese de um grande número de compostos e polímeros funcionais. Embora exista um grande número de estudos experimentais a respeito desse rearranjo, alguns pontos dessa reação ainda estão sob debate. O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar o processo de fotodissociação em carbamatos aromáticos e derivados e, particularmente, fornecer uma visão geral do mecanismo do Rearranjo Foto-Fries, utilizando metodologias computacionais. Entre essas metodologias estão TDDFT, cálculos multiconfiguracionais e Surface Hopping. A superfície de energia potencial para o PFR foi estudada no vácuo gasosa e utilizando solvatação implícita e explícita. Nessa última, a distribuição do solvente foi obtida por simulações de Monte Carlo. Um modelo envolvendo três estados é proposto para o PFR, baseado em cálculos CASSCF(14,12)/CASPT2(14,12). Este modelo fornece uma visão global de todos os passos envolvidos na reação, da fotodissociação até a tautomerização final. O papel do solvente ainda não foi esclarecido, pois a sua adição (implícita ou explícita) não alterou significativamente o comportamento do caminho dissociativo. / The photodegradation of pesticides, such as carbamate derivatives, has an environmentally important role, since they are extensively used and commonly found as contaminants in water and soils. The Photo-Fries rearrangement (PFR) - a photochemical conversion of aryl esters to ortho- and para-hydroxyphenones - plays an important role in the photodegradation of drugs and carbamate pesticides, besides being a key step in the synthesis of a large number of compounds and functional polymers. Although there is a large number of experimental studies about the mechanism of PFR, some points of this reaction are still under debate. The goal of this work is to study the photodissociation process in aromatic carbamates and derivatives and, particularly, is to provide a comprehensive picture of PFR, based on computational methods. Several methodologies were used, such as TDDFT, multiconfigurational methods and Trajectory Surface Hopping simulations. Comprehensive explorations of the potential energy surfaces were done in the gas phase and with implicit and explicit solvent, whose distribution was obtained from sequential Monte Carlo sampling. A three-state model for the Photo-Fries Rearrangement is proposed based on CASSCF(14,12)/CASPT2(14,12) calculations. It provides a comprehensive mechanistic picture of all steps of the reaction, from the photoabsorption to the final tautomerization. The role of the solvent is still not understood since the addition of solvent (implicit or explicit) do not change the dissociative pathway significantly.

In recent years, the exploitation of flow technologies as an enabling tool to access unique chemical reactivity has flourished. This dissertation describes the utilisation of these flow methods to access new sets of highly versatile, unstable diazo compounds and their application in coupling reactions. In the first chapter, an introduction into the structure and reactivity of diazo compounds is provided, as well as a discussion of currently available methods for their generation. The second chapter describes the coupling of flow-generated, semi-stabilised diazo compounds with terminal alkynes for the synthesis of racemic di- and trisubstituted allenes, using copper(I) catalysis. The third chapter follows with an account of creating chiral disubstituted allenes by asymmetric coupling of flow-generated, semi-stabilised aryl aldehyde-derived diazo compounds with terminal alkynes, using a copper(I) catalyst and a newly developed pyridine(bisimidazoline) ligand. The fourth chapter describes the generation of new, highly reactive non-stabilised diazo compounds and their reaction with arylboronic acids to allow metal-free ‘protodeboronative’ and ‘oxidative’ C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-couplings. Finally, the fifth chapter describes the experimental procedures relevant for the results described in Chapters 2-4.

In recent years, photoredox catalysis emerged as a privileged tool for small molecules activation via single-electron transfer mechanisms. Despite their ubiquity as reagents in organic synthesis, the use of boronic acid derivatives to generate carbon-centred radicals remains elusive. This dissertation explores the utilisation of photoredox catalysis to generate carbon radicals from boronic acid derivatives and subsequently engage them in C–C cross-coupling reactions. In the first chapter, an introduction to photoredox catalysis and organoboron reagents is provided, as well as a discussion on the key mechanistic aspects of photoredox catalysed C–C cross-coupling reactions. The second chapter presents our initial coupling strategy and how it evolved in understanding that pinacol boronic ester species can be used as a source of carbon radicals via single-electron oxidation from a photoredox catalyst. Coordination of the boronic esters with Lewis basic species was identified as a fundamental activating interaction. The synthetic utility of this discovery was highlighted by performing a wide range of photoredox catalysed arylations of pinacol boronic esters. The third chapter builds on our mechanistic understanding to identify a set of Lewis base catalysts that conveniently activates boronic esters and acids towards single-electron oxidation. The usefulness of this improved set of conditions was demonstrated by alkylating a wide range of boronic acid derivatives. The fourth chapter describes the application of this methodology in synthesising four active pharmaceutical ingredients from the GABA family. An emphasis was made on developing an efficient flow process and “transition metal free” conditions to survey the attractiveness of the method for the pharmaceutical industry. Finally, the fifth chapter describes the experimental procedures relevant to the results described in chapters 2 to 4.

abstract: Most of the sunlight powering natural photosynthesis is absorbed by antenna arrays that transfer, and regulate the delivery of excitation energy to reaction centers in the chloroplast where photosynthesis takes place. Under intense sunlight the plants and certain organisms cannot fully utilize all of the sunlight received by antennas and excess redox species are formed which could potentially harm them. To prevent this, excess energy is dissipated by antennas before it reaches to the reaction centers to initiate electron transfer needed in the next steps of photosynthesis. This phenomenon is called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). The mechanism of NPQ is not fully understood, but the process is believed to be initiated by a drop in the pH in thylakoid lumen in cells. This causes changes in otherwise nonresponsive energy acceptors which accept the excess energy, preventing oversensitization of the reaction center. To mimic this phenomenon and get insight into the mechanism of NPQ, a novel pH sensitive dye 3'6'-indolinorhodamine was designed and synthesized which in a neutral solution stays in a closed (colorless) form and does not absorb light while at low pH it opens (colored) and absorbs light. The absorption of the dye overlaps porphyrin emission, thus making energy transfer from the porphyrin to the dye thermodynamically possible. Several self-regulating molecular model systems were designed and synthesized consisting of this dye and zinc porphyrins organized on a hexaphenylbenzene framework to functionally mimic the role of the antenna in NPQ. When a dye-zinc porphyrin dyad is dissolved in an organic solvent, the zinc porphyrin antenna absorbs and emits light by normal photophysical processes. Time resolved fluorescence experiments using the single-photon-timing method with excitation at 425 nm and emission at 600 nm yielded a lifetime of 2.09 ns for the porphyrin first excited singlet state. When acetic acid is added to the solution of the dyad, the pH sensitive dye opens and quenches the zinc porphyrin emission decreasing the lifetime of the porphyrin first excited singlet state to 23 ps, and converting the excitation energy to heat. Under similar experimental conditions in a neutral solution, a model hexad containing the dye and five zinc porphyrins organized on a hexaphenylbenzene core decays exponentially with a time constant of 2.1 ns, which is essentially the same lifetime as observed for related monomeric zinc porphyrins. When a solution of the hexad is acidified, the dye opens and quenches all porphyrin first excited singlet states to <40 ps. This converts the excitation energy to heat and renders the porphyrins kinetically incompetent to readily donate electrons by photoinduced electron transfer, thereby mimicking the role of the antenna in photosynthetic photoprotection. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Chemistry 2012

La neige est un réacteur photochimique multiphasique complexe capable d'échanger de nombreuses espèces réactives avec l'atmosphère. Les émissions du manteau neigeux peuvent donc influencer de manière considérable la composition et la réactivité des atmosphères polaires. Parmi les composés réactifs ainsi échangés se trouvent de nombreux composés carbonylés dont les aldéhydes qui font l'objet de cette étude. La photolyse des aldéhydes est une source importante de radicaux HOx dans l'atmosphère arctique et l'étude des échanges de ces gaz est donc indispensable à la compréhension de la capacité oxydante de l'atmosphère des régions polaires. Le formaldéhyde (HCHO) est l'aldéhyde le plus abondant dans l'atmosphère et a fait l'objet d'une part importante de notre étude. Une étude expérimentale de la solubilité et de la diffusion de HCHO dans la glace nous a permis de confirmer que ce composé formait une solution solide dans la glace. Les résultats que nous avons obtenus, associés à une analyse critique des données bibliographiques sur la solubilité de HCHO en phase aqueuse, ont été utilisés pour construire le diagramme de phase pression partielle – température du système H2O-HCHO. Afin de comprendre les mécanismes mis en jeu dans les échanges d'aldéhydes entre la neige et le manteau neigeux, nous avons suivi les concentrations en aldéhydes dans le manteau neigeux à Barrow, un site côtier à l'extrême Nord de l'Alaska, lors de la campagne polaire OASIS 2009. Nos mesures ont été associées à celles de la microphysique de la neige et à la mesure en phase gazeuse du formaldéhyde. En développant un modèle numérique de diffusion de HCHO dans les cristaux de neige, nous avons montré que l'évolution des concentrations dans la neige pouvait être reproduite de manière quantitative par l'équilibre thermodynamique et la cinétique de diffusion du formaldéhyde dans la glace. Ce travail ne se limite pas à la seule étude de HCHO. D'autres aldéhydes présents dans l'atmosphère peuvent potentiellement jouer un rôle important dans la chimie atmosphérique. Nous avons donc réalisé des améliorations à notre méthode analytique afin de permettre la mesure non seulement du formaldéhyde et de l'acétaldéhyde, mais aussi du glyoxal, du méthylglyoxal et de l'hydroxyacétaldéhyde. Cette méthode analytique déployée pendant la campagne OASIS nous a ainsi permis de mesurer simultanément et pour la première fois, l'ensemble de ces aldéhydes dans la neige polaire. Ces mesures ont révélé des concentrations importantes de glyoxal et de méthylglyoxal dans la neige, ces composés étant probablement présents dans les aérosols organiques piégés par la neige. Le rôle de cette matière organique particulaire dans la chimie de la neige nous semble mériter de plus amples études, afin de mieux caractériser sa structure et sa réactivité. / Snow is a complex multiphase chemical reactor that exchanges many reactive species with the atmosphere. One consequence of such emissions is that snow dramatically impacts the composition and the reactivity of polar the atmosphere. Carbonyl compounds, including aldehydes, are some of theses noteworthy species emitted by the snowpack. Here, we focus on aldehydes whose photolysis can yield significant amounts of HOx radicals. The knowledge of processes involved in air-snow exchanges is therefore required to understand how snow impacts the oxidative capacity of polar atmospheres. A major part of our work is focused on formaldehyde (HCHO), the most abundant aldehyde in the atmosphere. We first performed an experimental study to measure both the solubility and the diffusivity of HCHO in ice. Our results confirm that the formation of a solid-solution is the process of incorporation of HCHO into snow. We also performed a reanalysis of existing data on the solubility of HCHO in liquid water solutions. Our work made it possible to construct the partial pressure – temperature phase diagram for the H2O-HCHO system. To investigate the processes involved in air-snow exchanges of aldehydes, we monitored their concentration in snow during the OASIS 2009 field campaign which took place at Barrow, Alaska. Our measures were complemented by the monitoring of the snow physical properties and by the measurement of formaldehyde concentration in the gas phase. We developed a numerical code to model HCHO diffusion in and out of ice crystals and showed that it was possible to quantitatively reproduce snow concentrations by considering the equilibration of the H2O-HCHO by solid solution in ice. Our work also focused on other aldehydes that can potentially impact the atmospheric oxidative capacity. Improvements to our analytical method made it possible to measure not only formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, but also glyoxal, methylglyoxal and hydroxyacetaldehyde. This method deployed during the OASIS campaign provided the first measurements of all these aldehydes in polar snow. We found significant amounts of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in snow and we hypothesize that such compounds are located in the particulate organic matter scavenged by snow. The reactivity and structural composition of this organic matter must be further investigated to understand quantitatively the exchanges of these other aldehydes between the snow and the atmosphere.

This work reports on the synthesis, characterization and the physicochemical properties of novel unsymmetrically substituted zinc phthalocyanines: namely tris{11,19, 27-(1,2- diethylaminoethylthiol)-2-(captopril) phthalocyanine Zn ((ZnMCapPc (1.5)), hexakis{8,11,16,19,42,27-(octylthio)-1-(4-phenoxycarboxy) phthalocyanine} Zn (ZnMPCPc(1.7)) and Tris {11, 19, 27-(1,2-diethylaminoethylthiol)-1,2(caffeic acid) phthalocyanine} Zn ((ZnMCafPc (1.3)). Symmetrically substituted counterparts (tetrakis(diethylamino)zinc phthalocyaninato (3.8), octakis(octylthio)zinc phthalocyaninato (3.9) and tetrakis (carboxyphenoxy)zinc phthalocyaninato (3.10) complexes) were also synthesized for comparison of the photophysicochemical properties and to investigate the effect of the substituents on the low symmetry Pcs. The complexes were successfully characterized by IR, NMR, mass spectral and elemental analyses. All the complexes showed the ability to produce singlet oxygen, while the highest triplet quantum yields were obtained for 1.7, 1.5 and 3.9 (0.80, 0.65 and 0.62 respectively and the lowest were obtained for 1.3 and 3.10 (0.57 and 0.47 respectively). High triplet lifetimes (109-286 μs) were also obtained for all complexes, with 1.7 being the highest (286 μs) which also corresponds to its triplet and singlet quantum yields (0.80 and 0.77 respectively). The photosensitizing properties of low symmetry derivatives, ZnMCapPc and ZnMCafPc were investigated by conjugating glutathione (GSH) capped silver nanoparticles (AgNP). The formation of the amide bond was confirmed by IR and UV-Vis spectroscopies. The photophysicochemical behaviour of the novel phthalocyanine-GSH-AgNP conjugates and the simple mixture of the Ag NPs with low the symmetry phthalocyanines were investigated. It was observed that upon conjugation of the phthalocyanines to the GSH-AgNPs, a blue shift in the Q band was induced. The triplet lifetimes and quantum yields improved upon conjugation as compared to the phthalocyanines (Pc) alone. Complex 1.5 triplet lifetimes increased from 109 to 148 and triplet quantum yield from 0.65 to 0.86 upon conjugation. Fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields decreased for the conjugates compared to the phthalocyanines alone, due to the quenching caused by the Ag NPs. The antimicrobial activity of the zinc phthalocyanines (complexes 1.3 and 1.5) and their conjugates against Escherichia coli was investigated. Only 1.3 and 1.5 complexes were investigated because of the availability of the sample. In general phthalocyanines showed increase in antibacterial activity with the increase in phthalocyanines concentration in the presence and absence of light. The Pc complexes and their Ag NP conjugates showed an increase in antibacterial activity, due to the synergistic effect afforded by Ag NP and Pcs. Improved antibacterial properties were obtained upon irradiation. 1.5-AgNPs had the highest antibacterial activity compared to 1.3-AgNPs conjugate; these results are in agreement with the photophysical behaviour. This work demonstrates improved photophysicochemical properties of low symm