Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Br[O/]Nsted Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylation And Propargylation Of Aldehydes, Pankaj Jain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbonyl allylation and propargylation reactions have been an important tool for the stereocontrolled formation of carbon-carbon bonds for synthetic chemists. The chiral homoallylic and homopropargylic alcohols obtained from these reactions serve as versatile intermediates for the synthesis of natural and pharmaceutical products. Over the past three decades and continuing on, various synthetic groups around the globe have directed their research towards the efficient synthesis of these chiral moieties. In spite extensive research, asymmetric allylation and propargylation reactions remain an enduring challenge in organic chemistry.

Chapter 1 of this thesis describes the first phosphoric acid catalyzed asymmetric allylboration of aldehydes. We …

Investigation And Characterization Of Pt-Modified Au Catalysts And Polymer Composites By Electrochemistry, Raman And Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (Sers), Ranjani Muralidharan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation thesis consists of six chapters. The main focus of this study is the need for understanding the reaction mechanism and intermediates formed on Pt-modified Au surface as anode catalysts in the formic acid fuel cells. Chapter 1 gives an introduction to formic acid and methanol fuel cells, an overview of the current catalysts employed at the anode of the fuel cells, specifically the Pt-modified Au electrodes as potential catalysts and the different deposition methods for preparing this catalytic surface. Information about different electrochemical methods used like cyclic voltammetry and potential step method along with other characterization methods and …