Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOX) are biocompatible polymers that act as hydrophilic "stealth" drug carriers. As block copolymers, the PEOX group offers a wider variety of functionalization. The goal of this project was to synthesize a poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEO-b-PEOX) block copolymer and functionalize pendent groups of PEOX with phosphonic acid. This was achieved through cationic ring opening polymerization (CROP) of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline monomer onto PEO. These polymerizations used tosylsulfonyl chloride as initiator. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used to determine the molecular weights of the block copolymers. Two samples of 1:2 and one sample of 1:3 of PEO-to-PEOX block copolymers were made. These samples underwent partial hydrolysis of the PEOX pendent groups to form the random block copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-co-poly(ethyleneimine) (PEO-b-PEOX-co-PEI). These reactions showed that there was a degree of control based on the moles of acid. Diethyl vinyl phosphonate was attached to the nitrogen of PEI units via Michael addition where the phosphorylation left <1% of PEI units unattached. The ethyl groups on the phosphonates were further hydrolyzed off phosphonate with HCl acid leaving phosphonic acid. After each step of synthesis, structures and composition were confirmed using ¹H NMR. Due to the nature of the phosphonic acid, the polymer can be utilized in the incorporation and release of cationic drugs. / Master of Science

This Thesis describes the synthesis, reactivity, coordination properties, and catalytic activity of novel electronically dissymmetric bisphosphines structurally related to 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf). First, a methylene spaced congener containing a primary phosphine group, which is stable in the air, Ph2PfcCH2PH2 (fc = ferrocene-1,1'-diyl), was prepared. While studying its reactivity, an unprecedented stable primary phosphine oxide, Ph2PfcCH2P(O)H2, was isolated. The primary phosphine, the corresponding phosphine oxide, dppf and the known bis-tertiary phosphine Ph2PfcCH2PPh2 were studied as ligands in Ru(II) complexes. The catalytic activity of the defined complexes was compared in two ruthenium-catalyzed reactions: cyclization of (Z)-3-methylpent-2-en-4-yn-1-ol into 2,3-dimethylfuran and isomerization of estragole to anethole. Second, the remarkable stability of the prepared primary phosphine oxide called for a detailed investigation of this poorly described class of compounds. As a result, stable primary phosphine chalcogenides lacking steric protection FcCH2P(Y)H2 (Fc = ferrocenyl; Y = O, S, Se) were isolated for the first time. These compounds were studied as ligands in reactions with hard and soft Lewis acids (Zn(II) and Ru(II)), and the reactivity of the P-H hydrogens was...

When a material is adhered onto a specific surface it is relevant to know how to make thematerial stay on the surface. By investigating different primers to use with a triazine-basedadhesive, further improvements to using the adhesive on metals can be achieved. This studyfound that an adhesive of (2,4,6-trioxo-1,3,5-triazinane-1,3,5-triyl)tris(ethane-2,1-diyl)tris(3-mercaptopropanoate) (TEMPIC) and 1,3,5-triallyl-1,3,5-triazinane-2,4,6-trione(TATATO) adhered to titanium and stainless steel, two clinically used metal surfaces. Itfurther found that between a phosphonic acid primer, a biomimetic catechol primer and acommercially available silane primer the phosphonic acid primer gave the best adhesion.These results could be because of a higher amount of crosslinking for the phosphonic acidprimer. For further testing increased pH and increased amount as well as increasedhydrolysation time for the catechol and silane primers respectively is suggested. Shearstrength testing was used to determine the adhesion strength. The shear strength testswere done with conditioning in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution for 24h beforehand

Le travail de thèse présenté dans ce manuscrit a pour objectif la synthèse de copolymères thermosensibles complexants innovants pour la mise en place d'un nouveau procédé de traitement des effluents aqueux chargés en métaux. Ce procédé original est en effet basé sur l'utilisation de copolymères porteurs de groupements phosphonés permettant la sorption des métaux en solution aqueuse et possédant un caractère thermosensible de sorte à contrôler la solubilité du copolymère et à faciliter les étapes de sorption et de séparation. Dans un premier temps, la synthèse de copolymères thermosensibles phosphonés a été réalisée par polymérisation radicalaire conventionnelle puis par polymérisation radicalaire contrôlée (PRC) ce qui a conduit à différentes architectures. Parmi les composés préparés, le P(NnPAAm-stat-hMAPC1) a été sélectionné car il présente une basse température critique de solution proche de la température des effluents industriels chargés en métaux. Les propriétés de sorption de ces copolymères ont ensuite été déterminées en réacteur statique afin de mettre en évidence les facteurs influents (temps de contact, température, pH, composition de l'effluent). Ces différents essais ont également permis d'étudier les mécanismes de sorption intervenant entre les groupements acide phosphonique et les différents cations métalliques évalués (Ni2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, Al3+). Enfin, les étapes de séparation post-sorption et de régénération ont également fait l'objet d'études approfondies, permettant de proposer à l'issue de ce travail un procédé innovant de traitement de la pollution métallique, appelé procédé TEMF (Thermosensitive polymer Enhanced Microfiltration). L'efficacité des différentes étapes constituant ce procédé a été évaluée en batch à l'échelle du laboratoire et en semi-continu sur un pilote de laboratoire conçu dans le cadre du projet. / This Ph-D work aims at synthetizing thermosensitive and complexing polymers for the implementation of an innovative process targeting the removal of metallic cations from wastewater. This process is based on the use of copolymers bearing phosphonic acid groups as sorption moieties whereas thermoresponsiveness allows adjusting the solubility of the polymeric sorbent according to the process step considered. First, the synthesis of various thermosensitive copolymers bearing phosphonated moieties is reported. The use of free radical polymerization or Reversible Addition Fragmentation Transfer (RAFT) polymerization allowed synthesizing copolymers with different architectures. Among all macromolecular compounds, the P(NnPAAm-stat-hMAPC1) copolymer was chosen as the most relevant polymeric sorbent for the process. Sorption properties of this copolymer were then evaluated and results highlighted that the contact time, the temperature, the pH and more generally the effluent composition were the main influencing parameters. These studies also enable to figure out the sorption mechanisms involved between phosphonic acid and the cationic metals studied (Ni2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, Al3+).The studies carried on the separation and regeneration steps of the process allowed the development of an innovative process for the removal of metallic pollution from wastewaters named Thermosensitive polymer Enhanced Microfiltration (TEMF) process. Finally, the conception of a pilot plant permitted the study of the TEMF process at larger scale.

This thesis focuses on the use of surface modifiers to tune the properties of both metals and metal oxides. Particular attention is given to examine the modification of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) including indium tin oxide and zinc oxide both through the use of phosphonic acids as well as organic and metal-organic dopants. In this thesis a variety of known and new phosphonic acids are synthesized. A subset of these molecules are then used to probe the relationship between the ability of a phosphonic acid to tune the work function of ITO and how that interrelates with the coverage and molecular orientation of the modifier on the surface. Experimental techniques including XPS, UPS, and NEXAFS are coupled with theoretical DFT calculations in order to more closely examine this relationship. Literature surrounding the modification of zinc oxide with phosphonic acids is not as prevalent as that found for the modification of ITO. Thus, effort is placed on attempting to determine optimal modification conditions for phosphonic acids on zinc oxide. As zinc oxide is already a low work function metal oxide, modifiers were synthesized in an attempt to further decrease the work function of this substrate in an effort to minimize the barrier to carrier collection/injection. Etching of the substrate by phosphonic acids is also examined. In a related technique, n- and p-dopants are used to modify the surfaces of ITO, zinc oxide, and gold and it was found that the work function can be drastically altered, to approximately 3.3 – 3.6 eV for all three of the substrates examined. Surface reactions are straightforward to conduct typically taking only 60 s to achieve this change in work function.

Various compounds were studied with solid-state 119Sn and 31P NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. Connections were made between the shielding tensors and the geometric and electronic structures of the molecules. First, the 119Sn chemical shielding anisotropy of various para substituted tetraaryl tin compounds was shown to be dependent on the tilt angle of the phenyl rings. Tetrakis(o-tolyl) tin did not have the shielding anisotropy predicted by the tilt angle of the rings. It was suggested that ortho substitution distorts the structures of the phenyl rings causing the discrepancy. Analysis of the solid-state 31P NMR spectra of triphenylphosphorane ylides, Ph3P=CHC(O)R, determined that increasing the electron-donating effects of the R group decreased the δ33 component. Theoretical calculations showed that the component lay along the ylidic bond and was dependent on the difference in phosphorus-carbon bond lengths between the phenyl and ylidic bonds. Another study concerned the solid-state 31P NMR of the series of triphenylphosphine derivatives, PPh3-x(o-tolyl)x where x = 0 to 3. The addition of ortho methyl groups changed the position of the δ11 component which could be the result of the change in energy gap between the lone pair (HOMO) and σ* anti-bonding (LUMO). The solid-state 31P NMR spectra of deuterated piperazinium phosphonate and phosphonic acid were influenced by the shielding, dipolar and spin-spin interactions, as well as, second order quadrupolar effects. The spectrum of deuterated piperazinium phosphonate had a chemical shielding anisotropy of 130 ppm, an effective dipolar coupling of 2500 kHz and a one-bond phosphorus-deuterium J coupling of 90 Hz. The phosphorus-deuterium bond length was predicted to be 1.44(2) Å. A deuterium quadrupolar coupling constant of 104 kHz was obtained from the CP/MAS 2H spectrum. The non-axial symmetry of phosphonic acid complicated the analysis of the 31P spectrum. Phosphorus-deuterium bond lengths of 1.44(5) Å and 1.40(4) Å were obtained for the two inequivalent sites in the unit cell.

Thesis (Ph.D.); Submitted to the University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA (US); 1 Sep 2003. / Published through the Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information. "LBNL--55023" Li, Liang-shi. USDOE Director. Office of Science. Office of Basic Energy Sciences (US) 09/01/2003. Report is also available in paper and microfiche from NTIS.

Une bibliothèque de nouveaux catalyseurs bifonctionnels combinant à la fois l’aminocatalyse et l’activation acide par un acide phosphonique sur une même structure peptidique a été développée. Des variations structurales ont été apportées afin d’optimiser la géométrie du site catalytique. Le potentiel de ces catalyseurs a été testé sur la réaction d’addition de Michael stéréosélective d’aldéhydes sur divers nitroalcènes aromatiques. Dans des conditions optimisées, de très bonnes sélectivités (r.d. < 95:5 / r.e. < 93:7) ont été atteintes. Grâce à leur forte solubilité dans l’eau, ces catalyseurs ont été facilement extraits et réutilisés sur 10 cycles sans perte significative de sélectivité. Enfin, des études mécanistiques ont été menées afin de connaitre le mode d’action exact de ces catalyseurs. Tant l’énamine que l’activation acide se sont avérées essentielles pour que la réaction ait lieu. L’enchainement peptidique permet une réaction intramoléculaire et stéréosélective. / A novel bifunctional organocatalyst library combining both aminocatalysis and phosphonic acid activation on a peptide structure was developed. Some structural variations allowed the optimization of the catalytic site. The potential of these catalysts was evaluated on the stereoselective Michael addition of aldehydes with several aromatic nitroalkenes. In optimized conditions, very good selectivities (up to 95:5 d.r. and 93:7 e.r) were achieved. Due to their high water-solubility, the catalysts were easily recyclable and reused over several cycles without any significant loss of selectivities. Mechanistic investigations were carried out to understand the exact mode of action of the catalysts. Both enamine formation and acid activation were essential for the reaction to occur. The peptide structure allows an intramolecular and stereoselective reaction.

Les dispersions colloïdales de nanoparticules (NPs) sont très répandues dans l'industrie, et permettent d'éviter l'utilisation de NPs sèches, controversée pour des raisons de toxicité. Le contrôle des interactions entre les NPs et le milieu dispersant reste le point clé de ces systèmes. La modulation de ces interactions permet de contrôler l'état de dispersion des NPs dans les sols. De plus, les nanocomposites NPs-polymère se sont avérés prometteurs pour une large gamme d'applications, ainsi l'utilisation de sols pourrait présenter une voie avantageuse d'incorporation des NPs dans le polymère, tout en offrant la possibilité de contrôler leur état de dispersion, et in fine les propriétés du matériau, celles-ci étant liées à l'état de dispersion des NPs. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est le développement de méthodes de modification de surface de NPs d'oxyde en dispersion colloïdale, tout en contrôlant la dispersion des NPs dans les sols et dans les nanocomposites issus de ces sols. Puis, l'évaluation de cet état de dispersion par SAXS. Deux méthodes de modification de surface ont ainsi été développées : la première implique le greffage d'acides phosphoniques sur des NPs de silice recouvertes d'alumine en dispersion dans l'eau, et la seconde met en jeu le greffage d'acides phosphoniques sur des NPs de TiO2 et leur transfert d'une phase aqueuse à une phase CHCl3. Les NPs modifiées ont été caractérisées par diverses méthodes. Leur état de dispersion a été étudié par DLS et SAS. De plus, pour les NPs de silice-amine, l'impact de la densité de greffage du C8PA sur la structure des NPs (à l'état sec) a été mis en évidence par SAXS et différents processus de relaxation ont été étudiés par BDS pour les NPs nues et modifiées. Enfin, ces NPs ont été incorporées dans un polymère de PEA par voie aqueuse via des latex et leur état de dispersion dans les composites a été mesuré par SANS. / Colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) dispersions are largely used in the industry, and avoid the use of dried NPs, which is controversial due to safety concerns. The key point in such systems remains the control of the interactions with the dispersed medium and between the NPs. Mastering these interactions allows controlling the NPs' state of dispersion. Moreover, as polymer-NPs nanocomposites have been found promising for a wide variety of applications, the use of colloidal sols could thus be an advantageous way of NPs' incorporation in the polymer, with a possible control of the NPs state of dispersion, and finally on the properties of the material, as they are linked to the NPs' dispersion. The purpose of this PhD work is to develop surface-functionalization methods of oxide NPs in colloidal sols in order to control the dispersion of NPs in the sols and in polymer nanocomposites derived from these sols, and to evaluate this dispersion using SAXS. Two surface modification methods have been developed to obtain aqueous or organic sols of functionalized NPs. The first one concerns the reaction in water of alumina-coated silica NPs with phosphonic acids (PAs), and the second one involves the simultaneous grafting and phase transfer of TiO2 NPs from an aqueous to a CHCl3 phase using PAs. The resulting NPs were characterized and their state of dispersion was monitored by DLS and SAS measurements. The impact of the C8PA grafting density on the structure of modified alumina-coated silica NPs in the dried state was evidenced by SAXS. The different relaxation processes of bare and grafted NPs were studied by BDS. These NPs were then incorporated in a PEA polymer by an aqueous latex route, and their structure in the nanocomposites was investigated by SANS.

Ziel der Doktorarbeit war es, Copolymere mit phosphonsäurehaltigen Seitenketten zu entwickeln, die nachfolgend über polymeranaloge Umsetzungen in Terpolymere mit polymerisationsfähgen Gruppen umgewandelt werden sollten. Die Terpolymere können dann somit im Bereich der Schicht,- Lackindustrie eingesetzt werden.