Acoustical interactions with ocean sediments effect a wide range of sonar applications in littoral environments. An important factor in understanding the acoustical behavior of the ocean bottom is how the sediment density changes with depth. Although there are existing techniques for obtaining information about sediment gradients, these methods are unable to provide direct measurements of the sediment density gradient without significantly disrupting the test site and requiring significant diver support for installation and implementation. The proposed X-Ray Attenuation Measurement (XRAM) device aims to improve upon these existing techniques with the goal of being a portable diver operated device that can perform direct in situ measurements of sediment density gradients without significant disruption of the ocean bottom. To accomplish this, the XRAM utilizes the attenuation of x-rays passing through the sediment to measure the density as a function of depth, and is arranged in a compact, portable design that can be deployed and operated by a single diver. The layout and basic design of the XRAM device is discussed, and a physical model of its operation is developed. Results of experimental testing on homogeneous liquid samples and liquid/solid mixtures to evaluate the effectiveness of the XRAM device in measuring density gradients are presented. Based on the analysis of these results, recommendations of improved performance for future development are given. / text

There is a continued interest in the properties of arsenic thiolate compounds for both industrial and biological uses. Recent discoveries in the medicinal properties of such compounds have resulted in a sustained need for the synthesis of new dithiarsolane compounds for research as anti-leukemic compounds. Close analogues of the 2-halo arsenic dithiolates, namely those with an arsenic-carbon bond instead of an arsenic-halide bond, have recently been shown to have some efficacy towards leukemia cells. Based on the hydrolytic character and the active role of glutathione with arsenic in vivo, the compounds reported here may also have such activity. Arsenic compounds have demonstrated biological activity in the literature, thus the hypothesis of this thesis is cyclized arsenic thiolates can be synthesized with the appropriate characteristics as to be potentially useful medicinal agents as well as provide new structural and reaction information. A series of arsenic and antimony di- and trithiolates has been synthesized and characterized. Those compounds include 2-chloro-1,3,2-dithiarsolane, 2-bromo- 1,3,2-dithiarsolane, 2-iodo-1,3,2-dithiarsolane, 2-chloro-1,3,2-dithiarsenane, 2-bromo- 1,3,2-dithiarsenane, 2-iodo-1,3,2-dithiarsenane, 3-chloro-4H,7H-5,6-benz-1,3,2- dithiarsepine, 2-chloro-benzo-1,3,2-dithiarsole, 1,2-bis-dithiarsolan-2-ylmercapto-ethane, tris-(pentafluorophenylthio)-arsen, bis(2-(1,3,2-benzodithiarsol-2ylsulfanyl)- benzenesulfide), 2-chloro-benzo-1,3,2-dithiastibole, and bis(2-(1,3,2-benzodithistibol)- 1,2-benzenedithiol. Elucidation of the pH characteristics of arsenic dithiolates within the human toxicity reaction pathway is an area of interest. It has been shown that the aqueous arsenic dithiolate stability depends on the size of the ring. 2-Chloro-1,3,2-dithiarsolane has been shown to be somewhat stable at both low and high pH as well as neutral pH. 1,2-bis- Dithiarsolan-2-ylmercapto-ethane is completely stable in a neutral aqueous solution. Glutathione does not permanently bind to arsenic even in overwhelming excess. In particular, these fully characterized compounds determine how reactive the AsS and AsCl linkages are under environmental and biological conditions, and provide a source of new reagents to examine in medical applications. Future applications may include the incorporation of the reported compounds in filtration and remediation technologies with further modification.

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The biological significance of macrocyclic complexes has been recognized since they were first synthesized by Neil Curtis. They have the potential to play a critical role in mimicking metalloprotein active sites. Nine Curtis macrocyclic complexes have been studied using X-ray crystallographic techniques. Their structures have been solved and comparisons of the results have been made. Biological importance is also true of the macrocyclic counterpart; side-off and end-off compartmental ligands. In some circumstances these types of ligands are more appropriate because they have extra flexibility due to their pendant arms not being fixed in place by another head-unit, like a traditional macrocycle. The synthesis of a proposed compartmental ligand; 2,2-(N,Nʼ-bis(benzimidazole-2-ylmethyl)methylamine-5,5ʼ-di-tert-butyl-3,3ʼmethanediyl-dibenzyl alcohol (Ligand 1(L1)), has been proposed and outlined. The pendant arms: bis(benzimidazole-2-ylmethyl)amine (BBIM), were successfully synthesized and characterized with 1H NMR, IR and X-ray crystallography. The head-unit: 5,5ʼ-Di-tert-butyl-2,2ʼ-dihydroxy-3,3ʼ-methanediyl-dibenzene methanol (DHTMBA), of L1 was synthesized and characterized using 1H NMR, IR and mass spectrometry. A similar head-unit; 5,5ʼ-Di-methyl-2,2ʼ-dihydroxy-3,3ʼ-methanediyl-dibenzene methanol (DHMMBA), was synthesized in an effort to shorten the synthetic time of the head-unit. This was consequently converted to the chlorine analogue; 3,3ʼ-Bis(chloromethyl)-5,5ʼ-dimethyl-2,2ʼ-methane-diyldiphenol (Cl-DHMMB), and characterized with 1H NMR, IR and X-ray crystallography. Efforts were made to synthesize Ligand 1, but due to synthetic difficulties and time restraints this proved unsuccessful. Suggestions have been made to develop this synthesis.

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