This thesis focuses on development of novel nanomaterials, including semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), for fabricating white-light emitting devices and assaying thiols in biological and environmental samples. The thesis mainly contains two divisions. One demonstrates synthesis, optical properties and white-light emissions of alloyed quantum dots and their application to light-emitting devices. The other describes to combine functionalized gold nanoparticles with capillary electrophoresis and accomplish high selectivity and ultrasensitive detection for thiols. First, through one-step aqueous synthesis, alloyed ZnxCd1¡VxSe QDs have been successfully prepared at low temperatures by reacting a mixture of Cd(ClO4)2 and Zn(ClO4)2 with NaHSe using 3-mercaptopropionic acid as a surface-stabilizing agent. The optical properties and composition of the alloyed QDs were highly dependent on the molar ratio of Zn2+ to Cd2+. With the increase in Zn content, a systematic blue shift occurred in the first exciton absorption and band edge emission. Moreover, X-ray diffraction peaks of the alloyed QDs systematically shifted to larger angles simultaneously. These systematic shifts indicated the formation of the alloyed QDs. Interestingly, among these alloyed QDs, Zn0.93Cd0.07Se QDs exhibited white-light emission with quantum yields of 12%. In addition, we discovered that we could adjust the relative strength of the band edge and trap state emissions by controlling the reaction time, thereby attain white-light-emitting QDs. Finally, we blended alloyed QDs with ultraviolet-transparent polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to develop a white-light, solid-state lighting device by using a 365-nm UV lamp as the pump source. In the other part of this thesis, we proposed a method for selective enrichment of thiols using Tween 20-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) prior to capillary electrophoresis coupled with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). By forming Au-S bonds, Tween 20-AuNPs can selectively extract thiols from a complicated matrix. A Tween 20 capping layer not only suppresses nonspecific adsorption, but also enables NPs to disperse in a highly-salinity solution. For analyses of aminothiols, after extraction and centrifugation, thioglycollic acid was utilized to remove aminothiols that attached to the NP surfaces. The extracted aminothiols was derivatized with o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) followed by CE-LIF. The use of this nanoprobe provided approximately 11-, 282-, and 21-fold sensitivity improvements for homocysteine (HCys), glutathione (GSH), and £^-glutamylcysteine (GluCys), respectively. Furthermore, the limits of detection (LODs) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 for HCys, GSH, and GluCys are 4013, 80, and 383 pM, respectively. A practical analysis of aminothiols in human urine sample has been accomplished by our proposed method. For another application to determining thiol-containing peptides, we use dithiothreitol to remove thiol-containing peptides from the NP surface through ligand exchange. The released peptides are selectively derivatized with OPA to form tricyclic isoindole derivatives. After injecting a large sample volume, the sensitivity of these peptides was improved by stacking them via using polyethylene oxide (PEO) as additive for on-line concentration and separation. As a result, LODs for GSH, GluCys, and phytochelatins (PC2 ~ PC4) were down to 0.1-6 pM. The proposed method has the lowest LODs for five peptides compared to other reported methods, and it also detect dissolve thiols in seawater in practice. Our proposed method is capable of ultrasensitive detection for thiols in biological and environmental samples.

The thesis entitled “Chemistry of Tetrathiomolybdate: Applications in Organic Synthesis” is divided in to six chapters Chapter 1: Synthesis of -amino disulfides, cystines and their direct incorporation into peptides mediated by tetrathiomolybdate In this chapter, we report a simple method for direct access to β-amino disulfides by regioselective ring opening of sulfamidates with benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate [BnEt3N]2MoS4. The versatility of this reaction has been shown by preparing a number of β-amino disulfides having different N-protecting groups and the stability of these protecting groups under the reaction conditions has been evaluated. This methodology is also extended to the synthesis and direct incorporation cystine and 3, 3′-dimethyl cystine derivatives into peptides. Chapter 2: Unusual reactivity of tetrathiomolybdate: A new entry to the synthesis of b-aminothiols In this chapter, we disclose a simple and highly efficient method for the synthesis of β and γ-amino thiols via regioselective ring opening of sulfamidates with tetrathiomolybdate 1. The scope and generality of this methodology has been exemplified by synthesizing a carbohydrate derived β-aminothiol. This methodology has also been extended to the synthesis of isocysteine derivatives in optically pure form. Chapter 3: Part 1: Synthesis of β-aminodiselenides via sequential one-pot, multistep reactions mediated by tetrathiomolybdate In this chapter, we have demonstrated that a variety of N-alkyl-β-aminodiselenides can be synthesized in high yield from appropriate sulfamidates under mild reaction conditions using potassium selenocyanate and tetrathiomolybdate [BnEt3N]2MoS4 via a sequential one-pot multistep process. The compatibility of different protecting groups under the reaction conditions has been discussed. Chapter: 3 Part 2: Synthesis of unnatural seleno amino acids and their direct incorporation into peptides In this chapter, we have demonstrated the first and general method for the synthesis of selenocystine, 3, 3'-dialkylselenocystine, isoselenocystine and their direct incorporation into peptides using a one-pot multistep reaction strategy mediated by tetrathiomolybdate. Chapter 4: Synthesis and functionalization of cysteine, selenocysteine and their derivatives via the formation of unsymmetrical disulfide and sulfur-selenium bond. In this chapter, we present a novel one-pot multi component strategy for the synthesis and functionalization of cysteine, selenocysteine and their derivatives via unsymmetrical disulfides and sulfur-selenium bond formation. Chapter 5: Part 1: A novel method for the synthesis of thioacetates employing benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate and acetic anhydride In this chapter, we report a simple and efficient methodology for the synthesis of thioacetates using benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate [BnEt3N]2MoS4 and acetic anhydride as the key reagents, starting from alkyl halides in a multi step, tandem reaction process. The application of this methodology for the synthesis of orthogonally protected cysteine derivatives and anomeric β-thioglycosides has also been demonstrated. Chapter 5: Part 2: One-pot synthesis of β-aminothioacetates using benzyltriethyl-ammonium tetrathiomolybdate and acetic anhydride. In this chapter, we have demonstrated a simple and efficient method for the synthesis of β-amino thioacetates and pseudo thioinositol derivatives, via ring opening of aziridines and aziridino epoxides using tetrathiomolybdate 1 and acetic anhydride as key reagents. Chapter 6: Simple and efficient synthesis of allo and threo-3, 3'-dimethylcystine derivatives in optically pure form In this chapter, we have presented a simple and efficient methodology for the synthesis of allo-3,3'-dimethylcystine and threo-3,3'-dimethylcystine derivatives in optically pure form using L-threonine as the chiral pool and benzyltriethylammonium tetrathiomolybdate 1 as the key reagent. (For structural formula pl see the pdf file)