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A series of new titanacyclobutene complexes were prepared by samarium diiodide-mediated central carbon alkylation of η³-propargyltitanium complexes. The titanacyclobutenes were synthesized in high yield and completely characterized using NMR spectroscopy and, where applicable, single crystal X-ray analysis. For sterically crowded η³-(tert-butyl)propargyltitanocene, attack at the titanium centre by benzyl radical is also observed. Migratory insertion of isonitriles to titanacyclobutene complexes was investigated. Treatment with one equivalent of isonitrile affords iminoacyl titanacyclopentene complexes by insertion on the alkyl side. Subsequent treatment with another equivalent of isonitrile produces titanium-diamidate complexes by vinyl-side insertion and reductive cyclization. Demetallation of iminoacyl titanacyclopentene complexes with mCPBA yields homoallylic amides. Boracyclobutenes were prepared in moderate to excellent yield by the novel transmetallation of titanacyclobutene complexes with dihaloorganoboranes. The transmetallation is efficient with 2-phenyltitanacyclobutenes, however two equivalents of titanacycle are required for clean conversion of 2-methyltitanacyclobutenes. Characterization was achieved using NMR spectroscopy; based on ¹³C NMR data, there appears to be a 1,3 bonding interaction between boron and the β-ring carbon. A cyclic six membered borinic ester was synthesized by transmetallation of a 2-oxatitanocenecyclohex-5-ene complex with dichlorophenylborane. Exposure of boracyclobutenes to protic sources yields products arising from protodeboronation. Lewis acidity, as measured by the Gutmann-Beckett method, is relatively low for a trialkylborane; additionally, stable tetra-coordinate adducts could not be formed upon treatment of boracyclobutenes with anions and amines. Oxidation of boracyclobutenes with dry DABCO·2H₂O₂ produces the expected β-hydroxy ketones, however wet oxidation reagents produce mixtures of β-hydroxy ketone and protodeboronation products. Boracyclobutenes react with aldehydes in a non-selective manner, producing butadienes from an intermediate formed by allylboration, as well as 1,2-oxaborins by an uncommon insertion into the sp³-hybridized carbon-boron bond.

The diverse biological properties exhibited by uridine analogues modified at carbon-5 of the uracil base have attracted special interest to the development of efficient methodologies for their synthesis. This study aimed to evaluate the possible application of vinyl tris(trimethylsilyl)germanes in the synthesis of conjugated 5-modified uridine analogues via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. The stereoselective synthesis of 5-[(2-tris(trimethylsilyl)germyl)ethenyl]uridine derivatives was achieved by the radical-mediated hydrogermylation of the protected 5-alkynyluridine precursors with tris(trimethylsilyl)germane [(TMS)3GeH]. The hydrogermylation with Ph3GeH afforded in addition to the expected 5-vinylgermane, novel 5-(2-triphenylgermyl)acetyl derivatives. Also, the treatment with Me3GeH provided access to 5-vinylgermane uridine analogues with potential biological applications. Since the Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of organogermanes has received much less attention than the couplings involving organostannanes and organosilanes, we were prompted to develop novel organogermane precursors suitable for transfer of aryl and/or alkenyl groups. The allyl(phenyl)germanes were found to transfer allyl groups to aryl iodides in the presence of sodium hydroxide or tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) via a Heck arylation mechanism. On the other hand, the treatment of allyl(phenyl)germanes with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) effectively cleaved the Ge-C(allyl) bonds and promoted the transfer of the phenyl groups upon fluoride activation in toluene. It was discovered that the trichlorophenyl,- dichlorodiphenyl,- and chlorotriphenylgermanes undergo Pd-catalyzed cross-couplings with aryl bromides and iodides in the presence of TBAF in toluene with addition of the measured amount of water. One chloride ligand on the Ge center allows efficient activation by fluoride to promote transfer of one, two or three phenyl groups from the organogermane precursors. The methodology shows that organogermanes can render a coupling efficiency comparable to the more established stannane and silane counterparts. Our coupling methodology (TBAF/moist toluene) was also found to promote the transfer of multiple phenyl groups from analogous chloro(phenyl)silanes and stannanes.

L'objectif de ce travail est l'analyse de la stabilité thermodynamique et de l'inertie chimique de complexes métalliques avec des ligands ou des nanoparticules conçus pour des applications en IRM. Deux types de ligands polyaminocarboxylates ont été étudiés, ligands pour lesquels les unités complexantes sont soit linéaires soit macrocycliques.Les ligands macrocycliques étudiés sont des ligands basés sur des squelettes DO3A, substitués par des entités benzimidazole (L1H4) ou p-nitrophenylbenzimidazole (L2H3). Les données thermodynamiques indiquent que les affinités de ces ligands vis-à-vis des ions de la première série de transition (Cu(II) et Zn(II)) ou vis-à-vis des lanthanides (Gd(III) et Eu(III)) sont plus élevées que celles des complexes correspondants avec le ligand DO3A. Ce renforcement d'affinité est corrélé avec la participation des groupements benzimidazole à la sphère de coordination de chacun des métaux. L'inertie chimique du complexe Gd(III)- L1H4 a ensuite été évaluée par relaxométrie en tampon phosphate, en présence d'une quantité équimolaire de Zn(II). Dans cette expérience, le Zn(II) joue le rôle d'un compétiteur du Gd(III) c'est-à-dire qu'il peut si le complexe Gd(III)-L1H4 n'est pas inerte chimiquement, induire une libération de l'ion gadolinium. Pour Gd(III)-L1H4, aucune réaction de ce type n'a été détectée, ce qui plaide en faveur de l'inertie chimique de ce complexe.Les ligands linéaires étudiés sont des dérivés dithiolés de ligands DTPA bisamide L@1H5. Ces ligands ont été conçus pour être greffés sur des nanoparticules d'or. La stabilité thermodynamique des complexes de Cu(II), Zn(II) et Gd(III) utilisant les ligands L@1H5 et L@1H5 greffé sur nanoparticule d'or (autrement appelé L@2H3) suit l'ordre de stabilité croissant Zn(II) < Cu(II) < Gd(III). Par ailleurs, les résultats montrent que le complexe Gd(III)-L@1H5 est moins stable d'au moins deux ordres de grandeur que le complexe Gd(III)-L@2H3. Ceci suggère qu'une fois greffé sur la nanoparticule, le complexe de gadolinium correspondant gagne en stabilité. Par ailleurs, des études comparatives d'inertie chimique montre que le complexe Gd(III)-L@1H5 greffé sur la nanoparticule a une inertie chimique comparable à celle de l'agent de contraste commercial Gd-DTPA. En revanche lorsque ce complexe est seul, sa vitesse de démétallation est rapide. Le greffage du ligand L@1H5 à la surface de la nanoparticule est donc au bénéfice de la stabilité et de l'inertie chimique de son complexe de Gd(III). Ce gain de stabilité peut être attribué à l''effet de ballast' de la nanoparticule qui rigidifie la structure du complexe et limite sa démétallation. / The aim of this work is to analyse the stability of metal complexes with ligands or nanoparticles of interest in MRI and to study their transmetallation mechanisms in the presence of endogenous cations near physiological pH. Two types of polyaminocarboxylate ligands were studied for which the binding unit was either linear or macrocyclic.Macrocyclic ligands are constituted of a DO3A backbone functionalized with a benzimidazole (L1H4) or a p-nitrophenylbenzimidazole unit (L2H3). Thermodynamic data indicated that the affinities of these ligands towards first row transition metal ions (Cu(II) and Zn(II) or lanthanide ions (Gd(III) and Eu(III)) are increased compared to the corresponding ones with DO3A. This enhancement is correlated to the involvement of the benzimidazole moiety to each metal coordination sphere. For gadolinium complex Gd(III)- L1H4, its kinetic inertness was evaluated in phosphate buffer by relaxometry, in the presence of equimolar quantities of Zn(II) as a competitor. In these conditions, if the complex is not chemically inert, it would be subjected to a transmetallation reaction, that is to say that at least, gadolinium would be released. For Gd(III)-L1H4, no such reaction was detected which is in favour of kinetic inertness of Gd(III)- L1H4.Linear ligand, dithiolated DTPA bisamide L@1H5 was designed with an aim of grafting it onto gold nanoparticles. L@1H5 and the ligand grafted into gold nanoparticle,namely L@2H3, were analysed for their thermodynamic stability towards mainly Cu(II), Zn(II) and Gd(III). Whatever the system, L@1H5 or L@2H3, the general trend of increasing complex stability was Zn(II) < Cu(II) < Gd(III). Furthermore, Gd(III)-L@1H5 complex was less stable than Gd(III)-L@2H3, this latter being 2 orders of magnitude more stable at physiological pH. This suggested that the gadolinium complex stability is enhanced when the ligand is grafted onto the nanoparticle. Moreover, comparative kinetic inertness studies showed that the gadolinium complex Gd(III)-L@1H5 is not chemically inert and demetallates rapidly while the gadolinium complex grafted onto the nanoparticle exhibit almost equal kinetic inertness as Gd-DTPA (Magnevist). The bulky nanoparticle probably rigidifies the structure of the complex and prevents Gd(III)-L@2H3 from an extensive demetallation, which was a good point for the possible use of these nanoparticles in living organisms for imaging applications.

The main focus of this thesis has been directed towards preparation and oxidative carbocyclization of en-, dien- and aza-enallenes. In the first part of this thesis, a stereoselective oxidative carbocyclization of dienallenes was realized. By employing cheap and readily available palladium trifluoroacetate we were able to efficiently cyclize a variety of dienallenes into hydroxylated carbocycles in high yield and high selectivity. This oxidative process was compatible with two different reoxidation protocols: one relying on p-benzoquinone (BQ) as the oxidant and the other employing molecular oxygen as the oxidant. In the second part of the thesis the carbocyclization methodology was extended to include carbocyclization of aza-enallenes. This was achieved in two distinct steps. First, a copper-catalyzed coupling of allylic sulfonamides with bromoallenes was developed, giving access to the corresponding aza-enallenes. Subjecting these substrates to catalytic amounts of palladium acetate, along with BQ as the oxidant, rendered N-heterocycles in good yield. The reactivity of these N-heterocycles towards activated dienophiles was later exploited in a tandem (aerobic) oxidative carbocyclization/Diels-Alder reaction. The third topic involves efficient oxidative arylative/borylative carbocyclization of enallenes. These reactions, catalyzed by palladium acetate, relies on transmetallation of a (σ-alkyl)palladium(II) intermediate with diboranes or arylboronic acids. With this novel methodology we were able to obtain an array of arylated or borylated carbocycles, as single diastereomers, in high yield. Finally, we developed a palladium(II)-catalyzed cyclization of allylic carbamates. This mild, operationally simple, and scalable catalytic reaction opens up access to an array of oxazolidinones in high yield and excellent diastereoselectivity. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>

The work described herein focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of copper(I) complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, their use in catalysis as well as organometallic synthesis and related reaction mechanisms. Two classes of complexes were considered: neutral NHC-Cu(I) species and their cationic analogues. Concerning the former, initial efforts were focused on the development of a general and straightforward synthetic methodology towards complexes of the type [Cu(X)(NHC)] (X = Cl, Br, I). More than 10 NHC-Cu(I) species were synthesised in high yields under mild conditions, in air and using technical grade solvents. These complexes exhibited interesting activity in the catalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid/amine adducts proving in three times more efficiency than the copper salts previously employed in such a reaction. Hydroxide- and tert-butoxide analogues showed to be efficient catalysts in the N-methylation of amines with CO₂ as carbon source, and in the dehydrogenative coupling of silanes and carboxylic acids. Experimental and computational work were carried out in order to elucidate the mechanism of these transformations. Regarding the use of these species in organometallic synthesis, homo- and heteroleptic bis-NHC-Cu(I) complexes were employed as carbene transfer reagents to other transition metals. Aside from well-known cationic gold(I) species, two novel palladium(II) analogues were isolated and fully characterised.

Dans cette thèse nous proposons une étude théorique de réactions de transmétallation entre des complexes de cuivre (I) et ceux de trois métaux du groupe principal: Si, Zn et Li. La détermination des chemins réactionnels de ces processus d'échange a été réalisée en utilisant plusieurs approches. Quand le ligand transféré est une chaîne alcoolate, ces structures sont facilement obtenues en utilisant les méthodes classiques de recherche de minima et d'état de transition, soit l'intuition chimique comme seul guide. En revanche, cette tâche devient d'une grande difficulté quand le ligand transféré est une chaîne alkyl, comme cela été le cas pour le transfert du ligand méthyle entre zinc et cuivre. Pour aborder ce problème, nous nous sommes tournés vers l'algorithme de recherche des minima GSAM, basé sur l'échantillonnage des différentes structures topologiques à partir de fragments moléculaires. Cette méthode qui a été appliquée avec succès sur des cluster atomiques ou l'hydratation de molécules biologiques, a nécessité des adaptations pour l'étude sur des espèces organométalliqes. Une fois cela réalisé, elle a démontré son efficacité dans l'étude de réactions d'intérêt expérimental. Une autre problématique abordée est la détermination du mécanisme de transfert de ligand dans un complexe bimétallique possédant un cation métallique peu coordinant (Li) et un autre très coordinant (Cu). Le réarrangement électronique associé à la transmétallation est déterminé grâce à une astuce qui consiste à remplacer Li par un atome bien coordinant tel que l'hydrogène. Cette méthode a été appliquée à l'étude du mécanisme de l'inversion de configuration dans un allénylcuprate lithié. / In this thesis we propose a theoritical study for transmetallation reactions between copper (I) complexes and those of three metals of the main group: Si, Zn and Li. Determination of reaction pathways of the exchange process was conducted in using several approaches to the localization of the structures of reaction intermediates or transition states. When the transferred ligand is an alcoolate chain, these structures are easily obtained using conventional methods of search of minima and transition states, that is chemical intuition. However, this becomes a major difficulty when the transfered ligand is an alkyl chain, for instance the methy transfer between zinc and copper. In order to handle this problem, we turned toward the global search algorithm of minima GSAM, based on the sampling of different topological structures from molecular fragments. This method, that had been successfully applied on atomic cluster or hydration of biological molecules, required adaptations for the study of organomtallic species. Once achieved, this algorithm has proved efficient for the study of reactions of experimental interest. Another transmetalation problem addressed is the determination of ligand transfer mechanism in a bimetallic complex having a weakly coordinating metal cation (Li) and a highly coordinating one (Cu). The electronic rearrangement associated with the transmetallation is determined through a trick which consist in replacing Li by a well coordinating atom such as hydrogen. This method was applied to the study dy of the inversion of configuration mechanism in a lithium allenylcuprate.

Le sujet de cette thèse porte sur l’étude de ligands hybrides incorporant un donneur carbène N-hétérocyclique (NHC). Les ligands phosphine-NHC construits sur le motif m-phénylène ont conduit à des complexes di- ou tétranucléaires d’Ag, Cu, Au et Ir, et à des complexes bimétalliques Ag/Cu et Ag/Ir par transmétallation sélective du site NHC. Dans le cas des ligands phosphino-picoline-NHC (PNC), la transmétallation des sels de Li ou K correspondants a permis d’isoler des complexes « pinceurs » dé-aromatisés du Cr, Fe et Co. La déprotonation du ligand bis(phosphinométhyl)pyridine (PNP) a été examinée, et les ligands dé-aromatisés mono- et bis-anioniques correspondants ont été utilisés dans des réactions de transmétallation vers le Cr(II) et Zr(IV). Différents modes de coordination des ligands dé-aromatisés, notamment une métallation de la position alpha-CHP, ont été observés. La substitution de la phosphine dans PNC par une fonction imine conduit à un ligand hybride « rédox non-innocent ». / The purpose of this work is the synthesis and study of hybrid and potentially “pincer” ligands featuring an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) donor. The phosphine-NHC ligands based on the m-phenylene framework led to di- or tetranuclear Ag, Cu, Au and Ir complexes, and to bimetallic Ag/Cu and Ag/Ir complexes by selective transmetallation of the NHC. With the phosphino-picoline-NHC (PNC) ligands, transmetallation from the corresponding Li or K salts led to dearomatised Cr, Fe and Co “pincer” complexes. Deprotonation of the bis(phosphinomethyl)pyridine (PNP) ligand was also examined. The corresponding dearomatised mono- and bis-anionic ligands were isolated as Li or K salts and further used in transmetallation reactions towards Cr(II) and Zr(IV). Different coordination modes of the dearomatised ligands, including side-arm metallation, were observed. Substitution of the phosphine group in PNC by an imine donor led to a hybrid and “redox non-innocent” ligand.

Mass spectrometry was used to study two disparate transformations: in an applied project, the supposed degradation of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS); and in a fundamental study, the Suzuki-Miyaura (SM) reaction was investigated in detail. The first investigation revealed that published methods to degrade PFOS were ineffectual, with apparent decreases being associated with adsorption onto available surfaces. In the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, a dynamic series of equilibria were observed, and there is no direct evidence of a single pathway. Instead, there appear to be two mechanisms which are active in different conditions (one fluoride, one aqueous). Studies were initiated into the related SM polycondensation reaction and the hydrolysis of aryltrifluoroborates, the former indicating a step-growth mechanism, and the latter indicating a dynamic series of equilibria which are very sensitive to experimental conditions. Processing and interpretation of mass spectrometric data was a significant part of all of these projects, so a python framework was developed to assist in these tasks and its features are also documented herein. / Graduate / 0488 / 0486 / larsy@uvic.ca