Typescript (photocopy) / v, 169 leaves : ill. ; 31 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Dept. of Organic Chemistry, University of Adelaide, 1983

Thesis (Ph.D.) Dept. of Organic Chemistry, University of Adelaide, 1983. / Typescript (photocopy).

The purpose of this investigation is to study the Birch reduction products of [2.2lparacyclophane and of [2.2]paracyclophane- 2-carboxylic acid. The tetrahydro Birch reduction product of [2.2]paracyclophane is shown to be dl stereoisomer, with the olefins of the upper deck only partially overlapping with the olefins of the lower deck. This stereochemical elucidation is accomplished by means of a complete proton nmr analysis of the tetraepoxide derivative. A proposed mechanism supported by VB (valence bond) and MO (molecular orbital) theories for this Birch reduction process is presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Dec. 21, 2009). "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Chemistry Department, University of Alberta." Includes bibliographical references.

The use of alkali and alkaline earth metals as reducing agents in liquid ammonia solvent for aromatic and conjugated systems has been investigated by chemists at least since the early 1900's, e.g., Lebau and Picon (1). By subsequent additions of a proton source, the system yielded the first successful partial reduction of a monobenzenoid system, as reported by Wooster and Godfrey (2), in 1937. As a result of that success a patent was issued to Wooster for the process (3). Little additional work was reported until Birch and his co-workers picked up the investigation in the early 1940's. It was through his vigorous study and development of this reduction system that Birch's name came to be associated with reductions of organic compounds by alkali metals in liquid ammonia, hence, the Birch reduction. In this thesis the Birch reduction of cinnamic acid is investigated.

It has been previously shown that benzenesulfonamide gives thiophenol and diphenyldisulfide upon Birch reduction. The sulfonamide group is easily reduced. Probably the electron deficient sulfur atom in sulfonamide can accommodate an electron easily. The present study involved the Birch reduction of benzenesulfonamide, N,N-dimethylbenzenesulfonamide, N,N-diisobutylbenzenesulfonamide and 2-mesitylenesulfonamide.

This thesis is (1) an investigation in the identity of the unknown material Qazi (20) obtained when benzamide was reduced at the boiling point of ammonia with 3.3 equivalents of sodium and ethanol, (2) characterization of the components of the brown liquid obtained when m-methoxybenzamide was reduced with a large excess of sodium (8 equivalents of more), and (3) characterization of the compound formed when the latter is subjected to sudden heat.

A new, efficient route was used in the synthesis of [2.2]-paracyclophane-2-carboxylic acid. The acid as then resolved and the Birch reduction performed yielding one enantiomer of tetrahydro-[2.2]-paracyclophane-2-carboxylic acid. The ultraviolet spectrum of tetrahydro-[2.2]-paracyclophane- 2-carboxylic acid in isopenthane shows one absorption at 206 nm (Emax = 5,271). There are three bands observed in the circular dichroism spectrum in isopentane at 236 nm ([] = 1.8 X 104), 201 nm ([0] = -16 X 104) and a positive band indicated below 180 nm but not observed. The bands were assigned and possible reasons for the occurrence of a mr'r* transition at unexpectedly long wavelengths are discussed.

Abstract Carbon nanotubes are a promising material for various applications due to their unique collection of properties. However, carbon nanotube material as such is inert and insoluble, which hampers the true realization of its potential. In order to enhance the applicability of carbon nanotubes, their surface must be modified. This work concerned the chemical modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) by the Birch reduction, which is based on the reduction of the SWNT surface with the valence electron of alkali metal solvated in liquid ammonia. The reduction generates a SWNT anion, which reacts with electrophiles resulting in the covalent attachment of functional groups to the tube surface. In this work, aryl halides or alcohols were used as electrophiles to yield arylated or hydrogenated SWNTs, respectively. At first, the goal was to modify SWNTs as a filler material for polystyrene. The use of five halogenated ethenylphenyl derivatives as electrophiles revealed that the structure of electrophile affected the success of functionalization and the solubility of SWNTs in polystyrene-toluene solution. The most successful functionalization and solubilization of SWNTs were achieved with 1-chloro-4-ethenylbenzene. In the second part, liquid ammonia was replaced with a new solvent, 1-methoxy-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethane (diglyme) in order to avoid the restrictions, hazards and inconvenience of its handling. The work concentrated on the study of alkali metal reduction of SWNTs in diglyme by the use of arylation with 4-iodobenzoic acid or 4-chlorobenzoic acid and hydrogenation as model reactions. Li, Na or K was used as an alkali metal while naphthalene or 1-tert-butyl-4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)benzene was used in order to enhance the solvation of electrons. As a result, functionalization was simplified and enhanced. Electrophile affected the functionalization in such a way that arylation was significantly more successful than hydrogenation. The effect of alkali metal and electron carrier varied with electrophile. The most successful hydrogenation was achieved with the complex of Li and 1-tert-butyl-4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)benzene while arylation was the most successful with the complex of K and naphthalene. The solubility of SWNTs in water, ethanol, methanol and dimethylformamide was clearly improved by arylation whereas hydrogenation led to moderate improvement. / Tiivistelmä Hiilinanoputket ovat ainutlaatuisten ominaisuuksiensa vuoksi lupaava materiaali moniin sovelluksiin, mutta liukenemattomuus ja epäreaktiivisuus haittaavat niiden tehokasta hyödyntämistä. Käytettävyyttä voidaan parantaa kemiallisella modifioinnilla. Tässä työssä yksiseinäisiä hiilinanoputkia modifioitiin Birch-pelkistyksellä, joka perustuu putken pinnan pelkistykseen nestemäiseen ammoniakkiin solvatoituneella alkalimetallin valenssielektronilla. Pelkistyksessä hiilinanoputkesta muodostuu anioni, joka reagoi elektrofiilin kanssa johtaen funktionaalisten ryhmien kovalenttiseen sitoutumiseen putken pintaan. Tässä työssä hiilinanoputkia aryloitiin käyttämällä aryylihalideja elektrofiilinä tai vedytettiin käyttämällä alkoholia. Aluksi tavoitteena oli hiilinanoputkien modifiointi sellaiseen muotoon, että niitä voitaisiin käyttää polystyreenin täyteaineena. Viittä aryylihalidia käyttämällä havaittiin, että elektrofiilin rakenne vaikutti funktionalisoinnin määrään ja putkien liukoisuuteen polystyreeni-tolueeni-liuokseen. 1-Kloori-4-etenyylibentseenillä saavutettiin onnistunein arylointi ja paras liukoisuus. Työn toisessa osassa luovuttiin ammoniakin käytöstä siihen liittyvien rajoitteiden ja haittojen vuoksi. Keskityttiin hiilinanoputkien alkalimetallipelkistyksen tutkimiseen uudessa liuottimessa, 1-metoksi-2-(2-metoksietoksi)etaanissa (diglyymi). Mallireaktioina käytettiin arylointia 4-jodibentsoehapolla tai 4-klooribentsoehapolla ja vedytystä alkoholilla. Ammoniakin korvaaminen diglyymillä yksinkertaisti ja tehosti funktionalisointia. Reaktiot suoritettiin eri alkalimetalleilla (Li, Na tai K). Naftaleenia tai 1-tert-butyyli-4-(4-tert-butyylifenyyli)bentseeniä käytettiin elektronien solvatoinnin parantamiseksi. Elektrofiilin rakenne vaikutti funktionalisointiin siten, että aryylihalidi johti huomattavasti onnistuneempaan funktionalisointiin kuin alkoholi. Alkalimetallin ja elektroninkantajamolekyylin vaikutus vaihteli elektrofiilin mukaan. Litiumin käyttö 1-tert-butyyli-4-(4-tert-butyylifenyyli)bentseenin kanssa johti onnistuneimpaan vedytykseen. Kaliumin käyttö naftaleenin kanssa johti onnistuneimpaan arylointiin. Hiilinanoputkien liukoisuus vaihteli elektrofiilin mukaan. Arylointi paransi selkeästi hiilinanoputkien liukoisuutta veteen, etanoliin, metanoliin ja dimetyyliformamidiin. Vedytyksen vaikutus liukoisuuteen oli vähäisempi.

Zusammenfassend konnte im Rahmen dieser Arbeit das Synthesepotential von Cyclohexadienen und Cyclohexenen deutlich erweitert werden. Die Darstellung der 1-Alkylcyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-carbonsäuren erfolgte mittels Birch-Reduktion in flüssigem Ammoniak und anschließender Umsetzung der intermediär entstehenden Dianionen mit Alkylhalogeniden. So konnte ausgehend von verschiedenen Benzoesäurederivaten eine Reihe interessanter Cyclohexadiene in sehr guten Ausbeuten synthetisiert werden. Erstmals gelangen säurekatalysierte Decarbonylierungen von Cyclohexadiencarbonsäuren, was die einfache Synthese substituierter Aromaten in ausgezeichneten Ausbeuten ermöglichte. In dieser Arbeit wird der Reaktionsmechanismus vorgestellt, welcher durch den Nachweis von Kohlenmonoxid in der Gasphase der Reaktionslösung durch IR-Spektroskopie untermauert wird. Bei der säurekatalysierten Umsetzung von 3-alkylsubstituierten Cyclohexadien-carbonsäuren entstanden neben den erwarteten Aromaten Lactone in ca. 50% Ausbeute. Schließlich zeigen die untersuchten Singulettsauerstoff-En-Reaktionen, der im ersten Teil dargestellten Cyclohexadiene und Lactone, durchweg hohe Regioselektivitäten und lieferten durch elektrostatische Wechselwirkungen und konformative Effekte zum Teil sehr gute Diastereoselektivitäten. Die auxiliarkontrollierte Photooxygenierungen von Cyclohexenon welches mit verschiedenen Weinsäureestern ketalisiert wurde, zeigten jedoch keine bevorzugte p-Facialität des Singulettsauerstoffs. / In this dissertation thesis it was possible to extend the synthetical potential of cyclohexadienes and cyclohexenes with partially newly developed and very efficient synthetic pathways. The alkylcyclohexadiene carboxylic acids were synthesized in good yields via well known Birch-reduction procedure in liquid ammonia from a broad variety of substituted benzoic acid derivatives. A wide range of alkylhalides were subsequently added to the resulting dianion. We were able to decarbonylize the cyclohexadienes through acid catalyses, which leads to ipso-substituted aromatics in excellent yields. The study presents the postulated mechanism, which is supported by the proof of carbon monoxide in the gas phase of the reactionmixture with IR-spectroscopy. When 3-alkylsubstituted cyclohexadiene carboxylic acids were subjected to the acid catalyses they gave lactones in up to 50% yield as side products of the aromatization product.The cyclohexadienes and lactones were used as substrates in singlet oxygen-en-reactions with photochemically induced singulet oxygen. The products showed high regioselectivitiy and partially high diastereoselectivity which is caused by electrostatic interaction and conformativ effects of the reaction intermediates. Experiments to induce auxiliary controlled photooxygenations of cyclohexenones, which were ketalysed with different chiral tartaric acid esters leaded to poor diastereoselectivity and a diverse mixture of isomers.