This thesis deals with synthetically modified chiral molecules and their application in asymmetric catalysis. The first part of the thesis describes the use of commercially available chiral diamine ligands in the iridium catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones. The chiral diamine ligands were mixed with an appropriate transition-metal complex, which after addition of suitable base provided a chiral transition metal complex capable of reducing a range of different aromatic ketones in high yields and enantioselectivities. The developed methodology constitutes a cost effective and readily available procedure for transfer hydrogenation reactions. The following chapters in the thesis are completely devoted to rational design of small organic molecules acting as catalyst in various organocatalytic transformations. Organocatalytic methodology, represent a new and complementary approach to asymmetric organic synthesis, as compared to e.g. transition metal based methodology. Advantages of this methodology typically include mild and less stringent reaction conditions. This, in combination with the lack of toxic transition metal by-products, makes the process more environmentally benign; the organocatalytic methodology, therefore represent a promising approach towards implementation of green chemistry in organic synthesis. Despite this promise, typical drawbacks of the current methodology are long reaction times and the need for high catalyst loadings. Thus, a large demand exists for enhancing reactivity and increasing selectivity in organocatalytic reactions. The present thesis describes several efforts where we have tried to rationally design improved catalysts for various enantioselective organocata-lytic reactions. First, a structurally modified L-proline, incorporating a 1H-tetrazolic acid, was synthesized and evaluated in the direct asymmetric organocatalytic aldol reaction. As shown in Paper II, the catalyst displayed very high reactivity and subsequent studies were initiated in order to rationalize the reactivity enhancement (Paper III). Delightfully, the design principle of a 1H-tetrazolic acid as replacement for a carboxylic acid has since been widely used in the community, including our own efforts in organocatalytic asymmetric cyclopropanations (Paper V)and Diels-Alder reactions (Paper VII). Novel catalysts, including other functionalizations, were also designed for organocatalytic asymmetric addition of nitroalkanes to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (Paper IV) and for cyclopropanations (Paper VI).

The new dihydrobis(4-cyano-3-tert-butylpyrazolylborate) ligand has been synthesized. Isolated crystals of the thallium complex were collected and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Transition metal complexes of the ligand are currently under investigation.

This thesis presents ultrafast photophysical measurements on a number of phosphorescent iridium complexes and establishes relationships between the relaxation rates and the vibrational properties of the material. When ultrafast luminescence is measured on the peak of the phosphorescence spectrum and on its red-side, 230 fs and 3 ps decay time constants were observed in all materials studied, and this was attributed to population redistribution amongst the three electronic substates of the lowest triplet metal-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) state. The observation of luminescence at higher values of energy embodied ultrafast dissipation of excess energy by intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) and it was found that the dissipation channels and rate of IVR could be modified by chemical modification of the emitting molecule. This was tested in two ways. Firstly by adding electronically inactive dendrons to the core, an increase in the preference for dissipation of excess energy by IVR rather than by picosecond cooling to the solvent molecules was found, but this did not change the rate of IVR. The second method of testing was by fusing a phenyl moiety directly onto the ligand, this both increased the rate of IVR and also the preference for dissipation by it rather than by picosecond cooling. Fluorescence was recorded in an iridium complex for the first time and a decay time constant of 65 fs was found, thus allowing a direct observation of intersystem crossing (ISC) to be made. In a deep red emitting iridium complex internal conversion (IC) and ISC were observed and the factors controlling their time constants deduced. IC was found to occur by dissipation of excess energy by IVR. The rate of IC was found to be dependent on the amount of vibrational energy stored in the molecule, with IC fast (< 45 fs) when < 0.6 eV of energy is stored and slower (~ 70 fs) when the value is > 0.6 eV. The rate of ISC agreed with these findings, indicating that the very process of ISC may be thought of as closely analogous to that of IC given the strongly spin-mixed nature of the singlet and triplet MLCT states.

No description available.

This thesis expands the scope for using the permethylpentalene ligand and its precursors in the synthesis of organometallic complexes. <strong>Chapter one</strong> begins with a brief review of linked metallocenes, with which multimetallic compounds bridged by pentalene ligands have often been compared, followed by a comprehensive review of the routes used to make pentalenes and substituted pentalenes. Organometallic compounds of pentalenes are introduced, with a focus on bimetallic systems. <strong>Chapter two</strong> explores the diversification of substituents added to the permethylpentalene (Pn*) precursor WeissH₄, to include ethyl and isopropyl groups. Low-symmetry mono-, di-, tri- and tetraalkylated products are formed, eight such organic molecules have been identified by NMR spectroscopy, and two characterised crystallographically. It has been demonstrated that subsequent hydrolysis and decarboxylation of two of these products produces low-symmetry alkylpentalene precursors. The chapter concludes with discussions on the selectivity exhibited in these reactions, and the assignment of stereochemistry. <strong>Chapter three</strong> describes the synthesis of the first homoleptic double metallocene complex of iron. Fe₂Pn*₂ has been characterised by X ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry studies demonstrate four accessible oxidation states (-1, 0, +1, +2). Magnetic measurements in the solid and solution state reveal an unusual triplet configuration, and DFT calculations indicate the origin of a high magnetic moment likely resides in unquenched orbital angular momentum contributions from SOMOs which have metal d character. Fe₂Pn*₂ is EPR silent at 5, 40, and 300 K both in solution and the solid state, suggesting a large zero-field splitting parameter. The reaction of the di-iron complex with carbon monoxide, ethylene and H2 is reported; the bimetallic CO adduct, Fe₂(&mu; &eta;⁵,&eta;³ Pn*)(&mu; &eta;⁵,&eta;¹ Pn*)(CO)₂, has been crystallographically characterised, and contains a highly distorted allylic bonding motif, which to the author’s knowledge is believed to be unique among iron complexes. <strong>Chapter four</strong> discusses the interaction of the bidentate Pn* ligand in anti bimetallic fused metallocenes. A new ligand exchange route has been developed to access the complexes (MCp)₂Pn* (M = Co, Ni), and the isostructural complexes (MCp*)₂Pn* have been made for M = Fe, Co, Ni by salt metathesis reactions. All five complexes have been characterised by single crystal X-ray crystallography, and have diamagnetic ground states in solution in common with their Pn bridged analogues. Variable temperature NMR studies reveal a spin-equilibrium between S = 0 and S = 1 in the dinickel complexes. DFT calculations reproduce the spin states found, and suggest the distortion towards &eta;³ coordination observed on crossing from Fe, to Co, to Ni, results from population of orbitals with M―bridgehead antibonding character. The electronic structures show it is important to draw comparisons between isoelectronic linked metallocenes. Electrochemical studies on the diiron, dicobalt, and (NiCp)₂Pn* complexes reveal at least three redox events for each. <strong>Chapter five</strong> documents the successful synthesis and characterisation of monometallic complexes of iron and manganese with Pn*H ligands. The isostructural complexes Fe(Pn*H)₂ and Mn(Pn*H)₂ can have been characterised crystallographically, and are potential precursors for accessing heterometallic, and multimetallic complexes. Mn(Pn*H)₂ is a rare example of a manganese sandwich compound and magnetic studies on a single isomer in the solution and solid states suggest it adopts intermediate spin states of S = 2 in solution, and S = 3/2 in the solid state. <strong>Chapter six</strong> gives experimental details for all syntheses and studies described in the preceding chapters. <strong>Chapter seven</strong> provides characterising data for all new compounds. Fitting data for VT NMR and SQUID studies are provided in the <strong>appendix</strong> at the end of this thesis. Crystallographic data in the form of .cif files, DFT output files, and raw SQUID data, can be found in the <strong>electronic appendix</strong>.

Neste trabalho foram projetados, fabricados e caracterizados funcionalmente dispositivos eletroluminescentes empregando complexos de Terras Raras (TR) e de Metais de Transição (MT) tanto como em filmes finos termicamente evaporados quanto formados através da técnica de spin-coating. O estudo foi iniciado com os complexos de TRs (especificamente o complexo de Európio e de Térbio) com filmes termicamente evaporados, com vistas à análise da eficiência externa dos dispositivos em função do ligante principal (CL). Desta análise observou-se que a particular estrutura química do CL resulta em diferenças perceptíveis ao nível da caracterização eletro-óptica (de 0,73x10-3 [BTA] para 1,05x10-3 [DBM]). Dando seqüência à análise de dispositivo com camada emissiva termicamente evaporada, foi realizada a análise do complexo de Térbio com dois tipos de ligante neutro (NL). Com base nos resultados obtidos, neste foco do estudo, observou-se que a configuração estrutural do NL implica em diferenças na eficiência externa (de 0,8x10-3 [PHEN] para 4,1x10- 3 [BIPY]) e no comprimento de onda dominante emitido (de 542 nm [BIPY] para 563 [PHEN]). Ainda explorando os complexos de TRs, foram estudados dispositivos empregando estes dispersos em um polímero com função de matriz, neste caso o polivinilcarbazol (PVK), em filmes formados por spin-coating, os quais apresentaram maior eficiência (de 0,72x10-3 [evaporado] para 1,24x10-3 [spincoating]) externa em comparação aos termicamente evaporados. Ainda nesta linha de estudo foi explorada uma nova estrutura de dispositivo empregando filmes automontados, cujos resultados apresentaram uma melhor eficiência externa para três bicamadas de PAni/PEDOT:PSS. Na seqüência, foram empregados os complexos de MT, especificamente de Rutênio e de Rênio, em filmes finos formados por spincoating. Com o primeiro destes, foi avaliada a conseqüência da variação do seu ligante, seus processos de transporte de portadores de carga e os fenômenos relacionados com sua luminescência. Já com o segundo, que foi disperso em PVK em diversas concentrações, foi feita a análise da eficiência externa com a mesma idéia adotada com o complexo de Európio, cujo estudo revelou uma eficiente transferência de energia, descrita pelo mecanismo de Transferência de Carga Metal- Ligante (3MLCT). / This work presents the study of the Rare Earth (RE) and Transition Metals (TM) complexes, as emissive layers of Organic Light-Emitting Devices (OLEDs) designed, built and electro-optically characterized. The thin films were thermally evaporated or spin-coated. This research started with the study of Europium complex changing its central ligand (CL), which showed that its electrical response exhibits external efficiency differences (from 0.73x10-3 [BTA] to 1.05x10-3 [DBM]). It was observed that the particular chemical structure of the CL results in significant differences as seen in the electro-optical characterization. Giving continuity to the thermally evaporated device characterization, an analysis was done with the Terbium complexes with two different neutral ligands (NL). It was noticed, in this work, that an NL change in Terbium complex imply in changes in external efficiency (from 0.8x10-3 [PHEN] to 4.1x10-3 [BIPY]) and in the emitted dominant wavelength (from 542 nm [BIPY] to 563 nm [PHEN]). Following the study using RE complex, we used it as a dye dispersed in polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) matrix, in a spin-coated deposited thin-film, which results showed a better external efficiency in comparison with thermally evaporated thin-films (from 0.72x10-3 [thermal evaporation] to 1.24x10-3 [spin-coating]). Besides, it was studied a new structure of electroluminescent device with thin-film Self-Assembled deposition, which results showed a better external efficiency for three bilayers of PAni/PEDOT:PSS. In the sequence, TM complexes, namely Ruthenium and Rhenium, were studied using spincoated thin-films. With the first of them, the implications of different ligands (bipyridyne and phenanthroline) were evaluated aiming the charge carrier transport and the luminescence related phenomena. The Rhenium complex was dispersed as a dye in the PVK, using the same approach as that used to study the Europium complex showing a very efficient energy transfer process, described in literature as the Metal-Ligand Charge Transfer (3MLCT) mechanism.

Neste trabalho foram projetados, fabricados e caracterizados funcionalmente dispositivos eletroluminescentes empregando complexos de Terras Raras (TR) e de Metais de Transição (MT) tanto como em filmes finos termicamente evaporados quanto formados através da técnica de spin-coating. O estudo foi iniciado com os complexos de TRs (especificamente o complexo de Európio e de Térbio) com filmes termicamente evaporados, com vistas à análise da eficiência externa dos dispositivos em função do ligante principal (CL). Desta análise observou-se que a particular estrutura química do CL resulta em diferenças perceptíveis ao nível da caracterização eletro-óptica (de 0,73x10-3 [BTA] para 1,05x10-3 [DBM]). Dando seqüência à análise de dispositivo com camada emissiva termicamente evaporada, foi realizada a análise do complexo de Térbio com dois tipos de ligante neutro (NL). Com base nos resultados obtidos, neste foco do estudo, observou-se que a configuração estrutural do NL implica em diferenças na eficiência externa (de 0,8x10-3 [PHEN] para 4,1x10- 3 [BIPY]) e no comprimento de onda dominante emitido (de 542 nm [BIPY] para 563 [PHEN]). Ainda explorando os complexos de TRs, foram estudados dispositivos empregando estes dispersos em um polímero com função de matriz, neste caso o polivinilcarbazol (PVK), em filmes formados por spin-coating, os quais apresentaram maior eficiência (de 0,72x10-3 [evaporado] para 1,24x10-3 [spincoating]) externa em comparação aos termicamente evaporados. Ainda nesta linha de estudo foi explorada uma nova estrutura de dispositivo empregando filmes automontados, cujos resultados apresentaram uma melhor eficiência externa para três bicamadas de PAni/PEDOT:PSS. Na seqüência, foram empregados os complexos de MT, especificamente de Rutênio e de Rênio, em filmes finos formados por spincoating. Com o primeiro destes, foi avaliada a conseqüência da variação do seu ligante, seus processos de transporte de portadores de carga e os fenômenos relacionados com sua luminescência. Já com o segundo, que foi disperso em PVK em diversas concentrações, foi feita a análise da eficiência externa com a mesma idéia adotada com o complexo de Európio, cujo estudo revelou uma eficiente transferência de energia, descrita pelo mecanismo de Transferência de Carga Metal- Ligante (3MLCT). / This work presents the study of the Rare Earth (RE) and Transition Metals (TM) complexes, as emissive layers of Organic Light-Emitting Devices (OLEDs) designed, built and electro-optically characterized. The thin films were thermally evaporated or spin-coated. This research started with the study of Europium complex changing its central ligand (CL), which showed that its electrical response exhibits external efficiency differences (from 0.73x10-3 [BTA] to 1.05x10-3 [DBM]). It was observed that the particular chemical structure of the CL results in significant differences as seen in the electro-optical characterization. Giving continuity to the thermally evaporated device characterization, an analysis was done with the Terbium complexes with two different neutral ligands (NL). It was noticed, in this work, that an NL change in Terbium complex imply in changes in external efficiency (from 0.8x10-3 [PHEN] to 4.1x10-3 [BIPY]) and in the emitted dominant wavelength (from 542 nm [BIPY] to 563 nm [PHEN]). Following the study using RE complex, we used it as a dye dispersed in polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) matrix, in a spin-coated deposited thin-film, which results showed a better external efficiency in comparison with thermally evaporated thin-films (from 0.72x10-3 [thermal evaporation] to 1.24x10-3 [spin-coating]). Besides, it was studied a new structure of electroluminescent device with thin-film Self-Assembled deposition, which results showed a better external efficiency for three bilayers of PAni/PEDOT:PSS. In the sequence, TM complexes, namely Ruthenium and Rhenium, were studied using spincoated thin-films. With the first of them, the implications of different ligands (bipyridyne and phenanthroline) were evaluated aiming the charge carrier transport and the luminescence related phenomena. The Rhenium complex was dispersed as a dye in the PVK, using the same approach as that used to study the Europium complex showing a very efficient energy transfer process, described in literature as the Metal-Ligand Charge Transfer (3MLCT) mechanism.