Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has great value in research and clinical applications from oncology to neurodegenerative disorders. However, there is a barrier in translating biological knowledge into new PET applications due in part to the lack of efficient, widely applicable methods for labelling compounds with PET radioisotopes. Herein, a generic approach to radiolabelling is presented which is direct, broadly applicable and potentially adaptable to either of the two most commonly used PET radioisotopes, 11C and 18F. This approach employs the advantages of solid phase synthesis to achieve selective release of only the desired radiolabelled product from a solid support in a single step, simplifying purification and hence improving synthetic efficiency. Polystyrene resin was functionalised with a 1,2-diol group; this allowed the covalent attachment of compounds bearing boronic acid groups via formation of a boronate ester linkage. A Suzuki-Miyaura reaction with methyl iodide was used to cleave a model compound from the resin in 61% conversion after five minutes. This reaction was adapted to develop a fully automated radiosynthesis with [11C]- methyl iodide which generated a radiolabelled model compound in 2 – 7% non-decay-corrected radiochemical yield. This provided proof of concept for the simultaneous cleavage of compounds from the resin and radiolabelling with 11C. A boronic acid precursor of the known radiotracer [11C]-M-MTEB was attached to the resin and successfully radiolabelled with 11C in 2.4% non-decay-corrected radiochemical yield and 96 – 100% radiochemical purity under the same conditions. Furthermore, the potential adaptability of this solid phase approach to 18F radiolabelling was demonstrated by treatment of the resin-bound small molecules and peptides with potassium bifluoride, which released the compounds rapidly as trifluoroborate salts.

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is used to investigate strong hydrogen bonds in a variety of solids. NMR measurements of the 2H nuclear quadrupole coupling (CQ) and nuclear magnetic shielding tensors are performed on samples of trimethylammonium chloride (TMAC), protonated 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)napthalene (DMANH+), and potassium and sodium bifluoride. 2H CPMAS is used to obtain high quality spectra while reducing experimental time. From spectral simulations, values of 127, 36, 59 and 58 kHz are determined for the 2H CQ of TMAC, DMANH+ CF3SO3-, NaHF2 and KHF2, respectively. The 2H CPMAS spectrum of TMAC shows a minor secondary component resulting from a solid phase in which the trimethylammonium cation is experiencing precessional motion. At high temperature the 2H CPMAS spectrum of DMANH+ shows unexpected spinning sideband lineshapes because of residual dipolar coupling to 14N. The experimental 2H CQ values are corroborated by ab-initio and DFT calculations; for DMAN and the bifluorides the 2H CQ values are averaged over the potential energy surface to improve the computational quality. Large values of the isotropic chemical shift (>10 ppm) are observed for all of the hydrogen-bonded deuterons. To complement the 2H NMR work, other nuclei in the compounds of interest are investigated, for TMAC these include: 35Cl, 37Cl, 1H, 14N, 15N. The 35Cl CQ shows a small, but observable deuterium/proton isotope effect. Quadrupolar and chemical shift parameters for assorted nuclei in TMAC are calculated at various N-H distances, demonstrating the strong dependence of the chlorine and hydrogen parameters on the proton position. For DMANH+ the 15N CPMAS spectrum of a static sample of DMANH+-d1 provides a value for the average dipolar 15N-D coupling constant of 870±30 Hz, corresponding to a distance of 1.29 A. Spectra of the counterions in the bifluoride salts are obtained, providing CQ values of 123 kHz and 1.141 MHz for 39K and 23Na, respectively.

The principal aim of this research was to determine the optimum conditions of extraction and separation of niobium and tantalum with octanol as solvent, from Mozambican tantalite using ammonium bifluoride as an alternative to hydrofluoric acid. The extraction of niobium and tantalum from tantalite can be divided into three activities, viz., acid treatment of the ore to bring the niobium and tantalum values into solution, separation of niobium and tantalum by solvent extraction and preparation of pure niobium pentoxide and tantalum pentoxide by precipitation followed by calcination. An initial solution was prepared by melting a mixture of tantalite and ammonium bifluoride followed by leaching of the soluble component with water and separation of the solution by filtration. The solution filtered was successfully used after adjustment of the acidity for the extraction and separation of niobium and tantalum. After liquid-liquid extraction highly pure niobium pentoxide and tantalum pentoxide were obtained through precipitation with ammonium hydroxide and calcination. Comparative experiments were performed modifying the following variables: decomposition temperature; decomposition time of the digestion of niobium and tantalum; acid concentration of feed solution; solvent agent; and stripping agent. From the experimental results it was determined that the decomposition temperature, decomposition time of the digestion of niobium and tantalum, the acidity of the feed solution, the solvent agent, and stripping agent, all have an important effect on the extraction and separation of tantalum and niobium. The optimal conditions were determined to be: tantalite-to-ammonium bifluoride 1:30; decomposition temperature 250°C; decomposition time 3 hours; and a water leach period of 10 minutes. Under these conditions the leach recovery of niobium and tantalum was about 95.07% and 98.52%, respectively. For nearly complete extraction of tantalum and niobium with 2-octanol, two and three equilibrium stages, respectively, are required. The equilibrium data were obtained at an aqueous-to-organic ratio (A/O) of 1:1 using: 100% 2 octanol; 6 M H2SO4; 10 minutes contact time at room temperature for tantalum; and 100% 2 octanol, 9 M H2SO4, 10 minutes contact time at room temperature for niobium. Different stripping agents were used and water seems to give good result for both. For the nearly complete stripping process four equilibrium stages are required. From the results obtained an optimum stripping efficiency is achieved after 15 minutes for a 1:1 ratio. Niobium and tantalum were then neutralized using 28% ammonium hydroxide. The precipitate obtained was dried and placed in a muffle furnace for 4 hours at 900°C. After calcinations, pure tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide were obtained and characterized using XRD and SEM. Tantalum pentoxide and niobium pentoxide synthesized contain trace impurities such as iron and titanium which can be removed by incorporating an appropriate intermediate treatment. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

Suite à la première thèse sur le greffage et l’adsorption physique successives de sélecteurs chiraux dans des tubes ouverts en électrochromatographie capillaire (ECC ou CEC) chirale, menée par le Dr Guillaume Pédéhontaa-Hiaa au sein de l’équipe du laboratoire COBRA (IUT d’Evreux), nous avons développé des phases stationnaires chirales covalentes (CSPs) à base de cyclodextrines (CDs) en tubes ouverts et des CSPs sur supports monolithiques pour l’emploi en CEC. Nous avons ainsi évalué les paramètres électrochromatographiques et la stabilité de ces CSPs en séparant une variété de racémiques neutres et chargés. L’influence de la température d’analyse, le potentiel appliqué ainsi que la nature et le pH des électrolytes sur la qualité des électrochromatogrammes ont été étudié en CEC chirale. Cette étude se divise en deux grandes parties. La première concerne les CSPs élaborées sur colonnes à tubes ouverts pour l’OT-CEC. Il s’agit initialement de graver la surface interne d’un capillaire de silice de 50 μm de diamètre interne à l’aide d’une solution de bifluorure d’ammonium dans le but premier d’augmenter considérablement sa surface spécifique et d’immobiliser en surface une grande quantité de sélecteurs chiraux à base de β-CD. Nous avons alors décrit des greffages covalents de CDs anioniques (Scc-β-CD et CM-β-CD) et d’un polymère anionique de CDs (p-CM-β-CD-) en surface de capillaire de gel de silice gravée et modifiée chimiquement par l’aminopropyltriéthoxysilane (APTEOS). Les greffages des sélecteurs ont été reproduits dans les mêmes conditions que dans la thèse rapportée précédemment en électrophorèse. L’originalité de la construction de ces CSPs réside dans la rapidité et la simplicité du couplage dit péptidique à température ambiante, des sélecteurs carboxylés sur des colonnes préalablement gravées. Ce greffage nécessite des agents de couplage peptidique solubles dans l’eau tels que 1-Ethyl-3-(diméthylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) et le N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Il peut aussi être obtenu de manière moins efficace avec d’autres agents solubles en milieu organique tels que le O-(Benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N’,N’-tétraméthyluronium tétrafluoroborate et la triéthylamine (TBTU/TEA). Chaque étape menant aux CSPs a été caractérisée par une étude de flux électroosmotique (FEO) en OT-CEC. Des analyses en AFM et en MEB nous renseignent d’avantage sur le succès du procédé « etching » de nos capillaires. La deuxième grande partie de cette étude traite de la synthèse in-situ de CSPs sur des colonnes de type polymères monolithes organiques et un monolithe hybride à base de sol gel. Des post modifications de surface de ces supports monolithiques nous ont permis d’immobiliser de façon covalente et non covalente des sélecteurs de β-CD en surface des volumes macroporeux. Deux collaborations ont vu le jour pour atteindre ces objectifs. La première eut lieu avec le Dr Thuy Tran et le Pr Myriam Taverna de la Faculté de Pharmacie de Chatenay Malabry (UMR 8612), durant laquelle nous avons reproduit une colonne monolithe organique de type méthacrylate, porteuse de groupements phosphate dans l’optique d’adsorber physiquement en surface le polymère cationique de CDs (p-CD+) que nous a transféré le Pr Benjamin Carbonnier et d’évaluer les capacités de discrimination chirale de cette nouvelle CSP en m-CEC. La seconde collaboration a eu lieu avec le Dr Mohamed Guerrouache et le Pr Benjamin Carbonnier au sein du laboratoire ICMPE de Thiais, où nous avons synthétisé des colonnes monolithiques organiques à base d’acrylates dans le but de greffer en surface de façon covalente et non covalente les CDs et polymères de CDs et d’évaluer ces nouvelles CSPs en m-CEC. La troisième phase stationnaire monolithique employée est celle décrite par le Dr Huihui Yang qui décrit un monolithe hybride porteur de groupements sulfonates nous permettant par la suite d’immobiliser électrostatiquement le p-CD+ sur le réseau poreux et d’évaluer cette nouvelle CSP en m-CEC. / New chiral stationary phases have been prepared for Open Tubular and monolithic columns used in electrochromatography capillary. In order to separate racemic mixtures such as flavonoïd, Hidantoïn derivatives, Binaphtalene-2, 2-hydrogenophosphate and others chiral solutes, we use the β-cyclodextrin forms as chiral selector. Besides, β-cyclodextrin seems to be the most efficient chiral selector in chromatography since it is able to complex and dissolve optical organic isomers in an aqueous media, this chiral selector is able to dissolve even lipophilic molecule with high weight. The complexation is based on interactions with β-cyclodextrin. This study aims to elaborate new chiral stationary phase for CEC using β-cyclodextrin polymers and β-cyclodextrin derivatives. Two approaches were used: Firstly, covalent stationary phases coating with carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin polymers and oligomers containing carboxyl’s group had been experimented for open tubular and monolithic column in CEC. Then a non-covalent coating cationic polymer of β-cyclodextrin’s derivatives was immobilized (polytrimethyl ammonium β-CD) on continuous organic monoliths bearing anionic’s group. Prior to the covalent coating of the CD’s chiral selector for OT-CEC and m-CEC, we needed to modify the silicate surface and the monolithic surface with a primary amine silicate1,2 (aminopropyltriethoxysilane) and EDA, an amino-organic moiety (Ethylene diamine). The stability of the bonded organic moiety (APTEOS, EDA) were studied by CEC at different pH with constant ionic strength’s buffer. In this way, graft of carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin polymer on silica inner surface modified by APTEOS and on NAS-co-EDMA surface modified by EDA succeeded in activating and covalently coupling reagent as EDC and NHS (1-ethyl-3(-3-dimethtylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide, respectively3) with carboxymethyl’s group of carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin . The resultant stationary phase lead to stable chiral stationary phases, easier to prepare starting by coupling the selector to the amine’s group using EDC and NHS. In order to optimize enantio-separations by increasing the specific surface of open tubular columns, we reproduce the etching process to bared capillaries with ammonium bifluoride solution, referred to Pesek’s process4. By this mean, we increase dramatically the specific surface of bared capillaries before anchoring CDs polymers to silicate surfaces modified by APTEOS. Finally due to etching process, we obtain a covalent bonded Chiral Stationary Phase (CSP) which led to more efficient and resolvent enantio-separations by CEC. To describe, in another way, the non-covalent coating of CSP, we immobilised a cationic polymer (polytrimethyl ammonium β-CD+) on two kind of continuous organic and silica hybrid monoliths bearing sulfonate5 and phosphate’s groups. Based on precedent results for OT-CEC enantio-separation with LbL stationary phase7, using successive layers charged polymers to separate racemic mixture in CEC, we decided to adsorb a polycationic polymer hydrosoluble onto the silica hybrid monolith column to form chiral stationary phase (CSP) polytrimethyl ammonium β-cyclodextrin. This way of modification for monolithic surface by chiral selectors is nowadays highly efficient and attractive for CEC. The effect of the matrix and the coating’s nature are discussed by comparing the chromatographic parameters.