Thesis advisor: Amir H. Hoveyda / Chapter 1. Through the use of quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) the similarities and differences between transition metal complexes ligated by phosphines and N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) were elucidated. Among the key findings, the phosphines were identified as stronger charge donors than NHCs; however, the latter class of ligands exhibits a weaker p-accepting character than the former. Furthermore, Tolman electronic parameter (TEP) was determined to be an inadequate gauge for the total electron donating ability of phosphines and NHCs; rather TEP can serve as a measurement of population of dp set of orbitals of a metal center in question. Computational and experimental studies of the mechanism of NHC-catalyzed boron and silicon addition to a,ß-unsaturated carbonyls reactions were carried out. Through the use of radical traps the mechanisms involving homolytic cleavage of B-B or B-Si bonds were ruled out. Computational (DFT) studies of the mechanism identified two pathways: (1) direct activation of diboron or borosilyl reagents through coordination of NHC to the B atom, (2) net oxidative addition of the diboron or borosilyl reagents to the carbon (II) of the NHC. The insights gained from the aforementioned studies were employed to rationalize the observed lack of reactivity of NHC-activated diboron complexes in the presence of aldehydes. Chapter 2. New C(1)-symmetric chiral monodentate N-heterocyclic carbenes were prepared, and corresponding chiral Ru-carbene complexes were synthesized. These complexes were employed to gain empirical understanding of factors that govern stereoselectivity in Ru-catalyzed enantioselective olefin ring-closing metathesis. The data thus obtained was employed to infer that syn-to-NHC reaction pathways are competitive and non-selective. One plausible mechanism, through which syn-to-NHC pathways can be accessed, involves Berry pseudorotations. Through the use of stereogenic-at-Ru complexes diastereomeric Ru-carbenes were isolated (silica gel chromatography) and spectroscopically characterized in solution phase. The diastereomeric Ru-carbenes were found to undergo non-metathesis stereomutations at Ru center, thereby providing additional support for the above hypothesis regarding accessibility of syn-to-NHC olefin metathesis pathways. Non-metathesis stereomutation at Ru was found to be accelerated in the presence of protic additives, suggesting the plausibility of hydrogen bonding between the acidic proton and the X-type ligands on Ru. Occurrence of hydrogen bonding was corroborated through the use of chiral allylic alcohols in Ru-catalyzed diastereoselective ring-opening/cross metathesis, which was developed into a versatile method for highly diastereoselective functionalization of terminal olefins. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

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Aujourd’hui les médecins disposent de nombreuses techniques d’imagerie médicale afin d’établir des diagnostics précis et précoces. Cependant, chacune de ces techniques possède ses propres avantages et inconvénients. C’est pourquoi, l’utilisation de méthodes bi- ou multi-modales paraît intéressante. Parmi celles-ci, la combinaison TEP/IRM permet d’apporter des informations complémentaires. Il est alors nécessaire d’injecter aux patients un traceur adapté à chacune de ces modalités. Ce travail de thèse a donc consisté à synthétiser des plateformes moléculaires « universelles » utilisables pour l’imagerie IRM et TEP selon deux stratégies. La première a consisté en la synthèse d’une molécule composée d’un macrocycle de type DO3A permettant à la fois la chélation d’un atome de gadolinium pour l’IRM mais aussi d’un atome de gallium 68 pour la TEP. L’idée étant, afin d’avoir une sonde bimodale, de réaliser un mélange des deux composés. La seconde stratégie a été de synthétiser une unique molécule pouvant être marquée à la fois par du gadolinium pour l’IRM et par un atome de fluor 18 pour la TEP. Afin de pouvoir cibler un phénomène physiopathologique donné, l’idée de ces plateformes est de pouvoir introduire de manière simple et versatile une biomolécule. La chimie « click » semble être une méthode particulièrement attractive pour pouvoir réaliser cet objectif. Cependant, cette réaction, habituellement catalysée au cuivre est difficilement applicable sur ce genre de plateforme du fait de l’affinité du cuivre pour le macrocycle DO3A. Ce problème a donc été contourné par utilisation de la réaction de chimie « click » catalysée par des complexes de ruthénium afin d’avoir accès aux deux plateformes macrocycliques. / Today physicians can use a wide variety of medical imaging techniques to establish early and accurate diagnosis. Nevertheless, each modality has its own advantages and drawbacks. This is why bi- or multimodality approach seems interesting. Among them, PET/MRI combination seems very promising because it can bring complementary informations. It is therefore necessary to inject to patients tracers specific to each imaging modality. This work described the synthesis of molecular platforms for MRI and PET imaging, according to 2 different strategies. The first one consisted in the synthesis of a DO3A macrocycle allowing the chelation of both gadolinium for MRI and gallium 68 for PET. The aim here is to have a bimodal probe, with a mixture of each compound. The second strategy was the preparation of a single molecule that can be simultaneously labeled by both gadolinium for MRI and fluorine 18 for PET. The final goal is to introduce onto these platforms a biomolecule in a versatile and easy way, to be able to target a specific pathophysiological process. ‘‘Click’’ chemistry seems to be an attractive methodology to achieve this goal. However, this reaction, usually catalyzed with copper is not suitable to DO3A macrocyles due to the copper affinity with those azamacrocycles. This issue has been circumvent by the use of ruthenium catalyzed ‘‘click’’ chemistry. We were then able to access to both macrocycles platforms.