Chemistry Commons^™

Stop Rotating! One Substitution Halts The B19- Motor, Francisco Cervantes-Navarro, Gerarso Martínez-Guajardo, Edison Osorio, Diego Moreno, William Tiznado, Rafael Islas, Kelling J. Donald, Gabriel Merino

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The B₁₉^- anion and other boron species have been dubbed ‘Wankel motors’ for the almost barrierless rotation of inner and outer concentric rings relative to each other in these compounds. A single substitution in B₁₉^- is shown to shut down the well-established fluxionality in the anion. A carbon atom substituted in the structure to give a neutral CB₁₈ species is shown computationally to enforce bond localization.

Aerogels As Diverse Nanomaterials, Abhishek N. Bang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Aerogels are 3-D light-weight nanoporous materials pursued for their low thermal conductivity, low dielectric constant and high acoustic attenuation. Those exceptional macroscopic properties of aerogels are dependent on the chemical nature of nanoparticles, complex hierarchical solid skeletal framework and porosity. Also, the free space can become host for functional guests such as pharmaceuticals. In chapter I, we investigated randomly mesoporous bio-compatible polymer-crosslinked dysprosia aerogels as drug delivery vehicles and demonstrated storage and release of drugs under physiological conditions. Comparative study with ordered and randomly mesoporous silica showed high drug uptake and slower release rate for random nanostructures (silica or dysprosia) …

The Role Of Potential Antioxidant In Medicinal Drug-Induced Oxidative Stress, Weili Fan

Doctoral Dissertations

"Most medicinal drugs have adverse effects. Among the most commonly used of these drugs are several types, known as "oxidative drugs". These are believed to cause adverse effects that induce oxidative stress, an imbalance of generation and detoxification of reactive oxygen species. So it is a reasonable assumption that the antioxidant might alleviate the toxicity induced by these drugs. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a synthetic thiol, is a free-radical scavenger and a precursor of glutathione (the main endogenous antioxidant). However, the negative charge of NAC at physiological pH limits its bioavailability. N-acetylcysteineamide (NACA) is neutral in charge and is believed to have …

Part I: In-Situ Fluorometric Quantification Of Microalgal Neutral Lipids Part Ii: Thermal Degradation Behavior Of Investment Casting Polymer Patterns, Hongfang Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

"Research described in this dissertation covers two topics. Part-I is focused on in-situ determination of neutral lipid content of microalgae using a lipophilic fluorescent dye. The traditional Nile red stain-based method for detecting microalgal intracellular lipids is limited due to varying composition and thickness of rigid cell walls. In this study, the addition of dilute acid and heating of solution, were found to greatly enhance staining efficiency of Nile red for microalgal species evaluated. Oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsion stabilized by a non-ionic surfactant was employed as a pseudo-standard that mimics lipid-bearing microalgal cells suspended in water. The average neutral lipid contents …

Synthesis And Properties Of Transition-Metal Arsenide Nanostructures: From Superparamagnetism To Superconductivity, Prachi Desai

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation study focuses on developing new protocols for synthesis of nanostructured transition-metal pnictides including superconducting LiFeAs and studying their structure- property relationship. Nanostructured materials are known to differ in properties compared to their bulk counterparts owing to enhanced surface area and increased packing efficiency in devices. Synthetic chemistry skills and nanofabrication techniques like wet chemistry, electrodeposition, solvothermal, hydrothermal and lithography, are extremely useful for creating nanostructures of these functional materials. This is a challenging task simply because maintaining the phase composition same as that of the bulk material along with achieving nanostructures (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanopillars etc.) simultaneously is not …

Manufacturing Of Vegetable Oils-Based Epoxy And Composites For Structural Applications, Rongpeng Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Epoxidized vegetable oil (EVO) is one of the largest industrial applications of vegetable oils (VOs) and is widely used as a plasticizer and as a synthetic intermediate for polyol or unsaturated polyester. However, the utility of EVO as monomer for high performance epoxy thermoset polymer is limited by its reactivity and by the resulting physical properties. Herein, VO-based epoxy monomers, i.e., glycidyl esters of epoxidized fatty acids derived from soybean oil (EGS) or linseed oil (EGL), have been synthesized and were benchmarked against commercial available diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and also epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) controls. EGS and …

Zn(Ii) And Cu(Ii) Adsorption And Retention Onto Iron Oxyhydroxide Nanoparticles: Effects Of Particle Aggregation And Salinity, Rebecca B. Chesne, Christopher S. Kim

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Iron oxyhydroxides are commonly found in natural aqueous systems as nanoscale particles, where they can act as effective sorbents for dissolved metals due to their natural surface reactivity, small size and high surface area. These properties make nanoscale iron oxyhydroxides a relevant option for the remediation of water supplies contaminated with dissolved metals. However, natural geochemical processes, such as changes in ionic strength, pH, and temperature, can cause these particles to aggregate, thus affecting their sorption capabilities and remediation potential. Other environmental parameters such as increasing salinity may also impact metal retention, e. g. when particles are transported …

Chemistry Students’ Attitudes About Peer-Led Team Learning Workshops: Comparison To The Six Critical Components, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark, Leo Gafney

Publications and Research

While tracking students’ performance and perseverance is important to determine the effect of the incorporation of workshops in courses, little has been published on students’ attitudes toward workshops: How do students feel about PLTL workshops? One method of examining this question is through a questionnaire developed by Gafney. This paper will present the results of a three-semester study using this questionnaire on how students view workshop in their introductory chemistry courses.

Peer Leaders’ Views On A General Chemistry Workshop Program, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark

Publications and Research

How do Peer Leaders feel about their role organizationally? What motivates them to serve? Peer Leaders are the heartbeat of the PLTL instructional model. To improve any PLTL program, feedback from Peer Leaders is necessary and beneficial. Their experiences, ideas, and honest critiques will assist in shaping the program to meet its ultimate goal: To ensure all students are engaged in their learning process through an active community setting.

High-Level Expression Of The Brugia Malayi Protein Kinase, Bm-Mpk 1, In Insect Sf9 Cells, Arti Rana

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematodes Brugia malayi (B. malayi), Brugia timori, and Wuchererici Bancrofti (1,8). These parasites are present in over 83 counties in the tropics and sub-tropics where more than 1.4 billion people are at risk of infection and 130 million people are presently infected (1,7). Previous work from our lab has led to the identification and expression of a B. malayi stress-activated protein kinase, Bm-MPKl (a human p38/C. elegans PMK-1 ortholog). Bm-MPKl plays an important role in the parasites’ protection against oxidative stress (1), and as such is a potential …

Graphene-Like 2-D Nanomaterials And Their Properties, Diana Daikie Aggudey

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Graphene, unlike other carbon allotropes has recently been the subject of interest in the field of nano material research. Graphene is being utilized as the building block for graphitic materials such as the 0-D fullerenes, 1-D nanotubes and 3-D graphites. Graphene is a single layer material, made up of interconnected hexagons of sp bonded carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb crystal lattice. Graphene and its derivatives have been shown in previous studies/research to exhibit exceptional high electronic and thermal conductivity, optical transparency and high specific surface area additional to outstanding mechanical flexibility and environmental stability. Graphene is amongst the most …

Investigating The Biochemical And Catalytic Properties Of Nitrile Hydratases, Salette Martinez

Dissertations

Chemical and pharmaceutical industries make extensive use of amide compounds for the manufacture of commodity chemicals (e.g., acrylamide) and drug intermediates (e.g., nicotinamide). Production of amide compounds is typically achieved by the hydration of nitrile compounds under acidic or basic conditions, high temperatures, and copper catalysts. However, the use of such chemical methods leads to the generation of unwanted by-products and toxic wastes, in addition to low product yields and high production costs. An alternative route for amide production is the use of a natural catalyst, for example nitrile hydratases (NHase, E.C. 4.2.1.84). NHase is a metalloenzyme that efficiently converts …

Traceability Implementation In Organic Farming: Case Study, Chamomile Tea Production, Shaima Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Implementing a traceability plan in an herbal production plant is a complex task. In this study an attempt to integrate food safety, quality and traceability through the different stages of the organic German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) production chain was made. First, all the current relevant international laws, regulations and standards regarding traceability, safety and quality, with emphasis on how and why they are necessary for any food production chain, were set forward. Second, physico-chemical and microbiological analyses were run throughout the different processing stages of production, for four different Chamomile batches produced over the same season using the same farming …

Gold-Magnetite Nanoparticle-Biomolecule Conjugates: Synthesis, Properties And Toxicity Studies, Akshay Pariti

Masters Theses

"This thesis study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing gold-magnetite optically active magnetic nanoparticle and its conjugation with biomolecules for biomedical applications, especially magnetic fluid hyperthermia treatment for cancerous tissue. Gold nanoparticles have already displayed their potential in the biomedical field. They exhibit excellent optical properties and possess strong surface chemistry which renders them suitable for various biomolecule attachments. Studies have showed gold nanoparticles to be a perfect biocompatible vector. However, clinical trials for gold mediated drug delivery and treatment studied in rat models identified some problems. Of these problems, the low retention time in bloodstream and inability to maneuver externally …

การพัฒนาโปรแกรมพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณสำหรับการไหลภายในท่อขนส่งน้ำมันดิบ, วันวิสา รักทอง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การขนส่งน้ำมันดิบผ่านท่อเป็นกระบวนการที่พบเห็นได้ทั่วไปในอุตสาหกรรมปิโตรเลียม น้ำมันดิบส่วนใหญ่มีความหนืดสูง อีกทั้งโดยปกติแล้วอุณหภูมิของสิ่งแวดล้อมภายนอกท่อนั้นมักจะต่ำกว่าอุณหภูมิของน้ำมันดิบภายในท่อ น้ำมันดิบจึงเกิดการสูญเสียความร้อน อุณหภูมิจะลดลงเรื่อยๆ ตามระยะทางและเวลาที่เปลี่ยนแปลงไป เมื่ออุณหภูมิของน้ำมันดิบลดลงจนถึงจุดขุ่น (Cloud point) น้ำมันดิบบางส่วนจะเปลี่ยนสถานะกลายเป็นไข (Wax) และเมื่ออุณหภูมิลดลงต่อไปเรื่อยๆ จนกระทั่งถึงจุดไหลเท (Pour point) ไขจะมีการสะสมตัวจนทำให้ท่ออุดตัน น้ำมันดิบจะไม่สามารถไหลได้ ดังนั้น การขนส่งน้ำมันดิบผ่านท่อจะไม่สามารถดำเนินการต่อได้ เพื่อป้องกันหรือลดความรุนแรงจากการสูญเสียประสิทธิภาพที่เกิดขึ้นจากไขภายในท่อขนส่ง งานวิจัยนี้จึงทำการเขียนโปรแกรมคอมพิวเตอร์ในการสร้างแบบจำลองการไหลภายในท่อขนส่งน้ำมันดิบเพื่อศึกษาพฤติกรรมการไหลที่มีความซับซ้อน และทำนายการเกิดไขในระบบท่อ ความรู้ทางพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ (Computational fluid dynamics) ถูกนำมาใช้ในการแก้ปัญหาการไหลสำหรับงานวิจัยนี้ สำหรับการพัฒนาโปรแกรมพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ แบบจำลองที่นำมาใช้มีลักษณะเป็นท่อตรงยาว และทำการแบ่งกริดในรูปแบบของกริดแบบเยื้องกัน เกิดเป็นปริมาณควบคุม ซึ่งจะเป็นตัวเก็บตัวแปรที่ต้องการคำนวณหาคำตอบ ได้แก่ ความเร็ว ความดัน อุณหภูมิ เป็นต้น โดยใช้ระเบียบวิธี ไฟไนต์วอลุมแปลงสมการเชิงอนุพันธ์ย่อยให้อยู่ในรูปสมการพีชคณิตเพื่อความสะดวกในการแก้ปัญหา ส่วนการหาคำตอบจากสมการพีชคณิตจะใช้ขั้นตอนวิธีเมทริกซ์สามแนวเฉียง ซึ่งวิธีการที่กล่าวมาข้างต้นเป็นส่วนหนึ่งในขั้นตอนวิธี Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equation ที่เป็นวิธีคำนวณซ้ำเพื่อให้ได้มาซึ่งคำตอบที่แม่นยำที่สุด ผลที่ได้พบว่า โปรแกรมจำลองมีความน่าเชื่อถือ โดยมีการเปรียบเทียบความถูกต้องกับการทดลองจริงและโปรแกรมสำเร็จรูป ANSYS FLUENT โปรแกรมที่ได้สามารถใช้ทำนายพฤติกรรมการไหลของน้ำมันดิบ รวมถึงการเกิดไขภายในระบบท่อได้อย่างแม่นยำ และสามารถประยุกต์ใช้กับระบบการไหลของของไหลประเภทอื่นได้อีกด้วย

Mechanical And Thermal Properties Of Polylactide/Polymeric Plasticizers, Wanlapha Apising

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The current study focused on flexibility improvement of polylactide by using three new types of plasticizers: diethyl succinate, glycerol ethoxylate, poly(di(ethylene glycol)adipate). The plasticizer concentrations were varied depending on each type. Mechanical property of the plasticized polymers was investigated. It was found that elongation at break of the plasticized polymers was increased, whereas tensile strength and Young’s modulus were decreased. The plasticized polymer with diethyl succinate exhibited the highest elongation at break. Thermal property of the plasticized polymers containing glycerol ethoxylate yielded the lowest Tg and Tc. When the plasticizers were added, thermal property was reduced, in which the plasticized …

Dry Reforming Of Methane In Palladium-Silver-Copper Alloy Membrane Reactor, Sarocha Sumrunronnasak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

PdAgCu ternary alloy membranes were prepared by the sequential electroless plating of Pd following by electroplating of Ag and Cu onto stainless steel support. The metal composition of the membrane was varied by changing the metal deposition times. The fabricated membranes were then annealed at various temperatures from 500 °C to 600 °C under argon atmosphere in order to form the alloys for 20 to 120 hrs. The Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were employed to investigate the element distribution in the membrane which provided the insight of the alloying formation. Complete formation of the alloy …

Preparation Of Polylactide/ Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite Particles, Walaiporn Nguantanom

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research focused on preparation of polylactide/polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite particles by using the solvent evaporation method. The effects of HA loadings varied in a range of 10-40 wt% and blending ratios between PLA and PCL on the size distribution, morphology, and thermal properties of the composite films were investigated. The results showed that the size distributions of the composite particles were composed of both small and large particles, depending on the HA concentration and blending ratio of PLA/PCL. The addition of HA at 10 wt% exhibited a strong influence on the size distribution of microspheres, while the PLA/PCL blend tended to produce …

Synthesis Of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)-Based Nanogels Via Differential Microemulsion Polymerization For Drug Delivery Systems, Meshaya Pruettiphap

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis is to study the synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-protic acid) nanogels and their performance to be used as drug delivery carriers. The objective is to achieve thermal/pH-responsive nanogels with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) close to human body temperature. Differential microemulsion polymerization (DMP) technique, which has been considered the best one to produce nanoparticles of a high solid content with a low surfactant amount, was applied. Specifically, one-step DMP was used for synthesizing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) preparation while two-step DMP was adopted to synthesize poly[N-isopropylacrylamide-co-(acrylic acid)] (poly(NIPAM-co-AA)) and poly[N-isopropylacrylamide-co-(itaconic acid)] (poly(NIPAM-co-IA)) nanogels, in which sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) was used …

A Computational Study Of Small Gold Clusters With H2s, Thiols, H2o, And Alcohols, Silvija C. Smith

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Alkane thiols, RSH, are commonly used in aqueous solution to stabilize and prevent aggregation of gold clusters, Au_n. Initially a RSH-Au_n complex is formed and, subsequently, there is hydrogen atom transfer to form a RSAu_nH complex. We examine the rate of this reaction for small neutral gold clusters, with n=1-2 and short-chain thiols with R = H, CH₃, and CH₃CH₂, using transition state theory. The comparison of DFT (with the functionals, BP86 and M06-2X), and MP2 was performed. A pseudopotential was employed to account for the large relativisitic effects …

Relative Equilibria Of Isosceles Triatomic Molecules In Classical Approximation, Damaris Miriam Mckinley

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In this thesis we study relative equilibria of di-atomic and isosceles tri-atomic molecules in classical approximations with repulsive-attractive interaction. For di-atomic systems we retrieve well-known results. The main contribution consists of the study of the existence and stability of relative equilibria in a three-atom system formed by two identical atoms of mass $m$ and a third of mass $m_3$, constrained in an isosceles configuration at all times.

Given the shape of the binary potential only, we discuss the existence of equilibria and relative equilibria. We represent the results in the form of energy-momentum diagrams. We find that fixing the masses …

Environmental Assessment Of Used Motor Oil In The Ciudad Juarez-El Paso Area, Alma Leticia Figueroa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As a hazardous waste generated in large amounts worldwide, used motor oil (UMO) is an important issue for environmental science. UMO contains the carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Unless properly managed and disposed of PAHs remain in the environment, principally in sediments and soil. From such environmental sinks, PAHs can migrate to watersheds contaminate drinking water, and damage ecosystems and human health.

Generators of used oil include "businesses that handle used oil through commercial or industrial operations or from the maintenance of vehicles and equipment," (United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2013). An example of such a …

Effects Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles In Cereals: Insights Into The Toxicity Mechanisms And Macromolecular Modifications, Cyren Mendoza Rico

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Despite the inundation of studies on the interaction of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) with plants, investigations involving complete life cycle (i.e from seedling establishment to full maturity) are still lacking. Assessments on the nutritional value of plants cultivated to full maturity in ENMs-treated soil are also missing. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nCeO2) have significant interactions with plants; however, there are no life cycle studies yet on their implications in cereals like rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). These cereals are globally important crops that support the economic activity, and nutritional and health needs of billions …

Students’ Attitudes About Peer-Led Team Learning Workshops In General Chemistry: A Critical Incident Study, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark

Publications and Research

How would students respond to open-ended questions regarding their experiences with PLTL workshops? This paper will present the results of a two-semester qualitative study on how students view workshop in their introductory chemistry courses, using Brookfield’s (1995) Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ). The five questions probe what stands out in the affirmative and negative, using key words: engaged, distanced, affirmed, puzzled or confused, and surprising. Collecting key moments from students in workshop, after several weeks of meeting, allow a grounded sense of how students view the workshop experience.

Design And Synthesis Of Porous Organic Frameworks For H2 And Ch4 Storage And For Selective Co2 Adsorption, Venkata Neti

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Three new boronate-ester based covalent organic frameworks (CoPc-PorDBA, CoPc-BPDA and HHTP-PorDBA), an imine-linked porphyrin porous polymer (CuPor-BPDC) and imine and benzothiazole based porous polymers (IBTP), and a triazole based phthalocyanine "click" polymer (Pc-POP) were synthesized. The CoPc-PorDBA and CoPc-BPDA COFs exhibited high BET surface areas (1087, 1315 m2 g-1, respectively) whereas HHTP-PorDBA showed a low BET surface area of 205 m2 g-1. The H2 storage capacities of CoPc-BPDA and CoPc-PorDBA range between 0.8-1.2wt% at 77K, 1bar and the CH4 storage capacities range between 0.4-0.8wt% at 298K, 1bar. These materials also had good thermal stabilities up to 350° C. The BET …

Beam-Energy Dependence Of Charge Separation Along The Magnetic Field In Au + Au Collisions At Rhic, L. Adamczyk, J. K. Adkins, G. Agakishiev, M. M. Aggarwal, Z. Ahammed, I. Alekseev, J. Alford, C. D. Anson, A. Aparin, D. Arkhipkin, E. C. Aschenauer, G. S. Averichev, A. Banerjee, D. R. Beavis, R. Bellwied, A. Bhasin, A. K. Bhati, P. Bhattarai, H. Bichsel, M. Zyzak, Et Al., Star Collaboration

Physics Faculty Publications

Local parity-odd domains are theorized to form inside a quark-gluon plasma which has been produced in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. The local parity-odd domains manifest themselves as charge separation along the magnetic field axis via the chiral magnetic effect. The experimental observation of charge separation has previously been reported for heavy-ion collisions at the top RHIC energies. In this Letter, we present the results of the beam-energy dependence of the charge correlations in Au+Au collisions at midrapidity for center-of-mass energies of 7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39, and 62.4 GeV from the STAR experiment. After background subtraction, the signal gradually reduces with …

Polymer Micro- And Nanofluidic Systems For In Vitro Diagnostics: Analyzing Single Cells And Molecules, Swathi Reddy Pullagurla

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Polymer micro- and nanofluidic systems, with their critical dimensions, offer a potential to outperform conventional analysis techniques and diagnostic methods by enhancing speed, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. In this work, applications of microfluidics have been demonstrated to address the existing challenges in stroke diagnosis, by mRNA expression profiling from whole blood within <20 min. A brief overview of various biomarkers for stroke diagnosis is given in chapter 1 followed by design and testing of individual microfluidic modules (chapter 2 and 3) required for the development of POC diagnostic strategy for stroke. We have designed and evaluated the performance of polymer microfluidic devices for the isolation of leukocyte subsets, known for their differential gene expression in the event of stroke. Target cells (T-cells and neutrophils) were selected from with greater purities, from 50 µl whole human blood by using affinity based capture in COC devices within a 6.6 min processing time. In addition, we have also demonstrated the ability to isolate and purify total RNA by using UV activated polycarbonate solid phase extraction platform. Polymer-based nanofluidic devices were used to study the effects of surface charge on the electrodynamic transport dynamics of target molecules. In this work, we report the fabrication of mixed-scale micro- and nanofluidic networks in poly(methylmethacrylate), PMMA, using thermal nanoimprint lithography using a resin stamp and surface modification of polymer nanoslits and nanochannels for the assessment of the associated electrokinetic parameters – surface charge density, zeta potential and electroosmotic flow. This study provided information on possible routes that can be adopted to engineer proper wall chemistry of polymer nanochannels for the enhancement or reduction of solute/wall interactions in a variety of relevant single-molecule studies.

From Micro- To Nano-Scale: Applications Of Solid-Phase Enzymatic Reactors For Biopolymer Disassembly, Nyote J. Calixte

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The process of immobilizing enzymes onto solid supports for bioreactions has some compelling advantages compared to their solution-based counterpart including the facile separation of enzyme from products, elimination of enzyme autodigestion, and increased enzyme stability and activity. We report in this work, the immobilization of λ-exonuclease onto poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) micro- and nano-pillars populated within a fluidic devices for the micro and nanoscale on-chip digestion of double-stranded DNA. Enzyme immobilization in both studies was successfully accomplished using 3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) coupling to carboxylic acid functionalized PMMA micropillars. Our micro-scale results suggest that the reaction efficiency for the catalysis of dsDNA digestion …

Improved Synthesis, Separation, Transition Metal Coordination And Reaction Chemistry Of A New Binucleating Tetraphosphine Ligand, Ekaterina Kalachnikova

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first chapter of this dissertation involves discussion of alkene hydration and oxidative cleavage reactions catalyzed by late transition metal complexes. Previously reported results are summarized here. Mechanistic aspects of alkene hydration catalyzed by late transition metal complexes are also explained. The second part of Chapter 1 focuses on motivation for using bimetallic nickel phosphine complexes as possible catalytic precursors for alkene hydration. Chapter 2 describes studies into alkene hydration in the presence of catalytic amounts of dinickel phosphine complexes based on linear tetraphosphine ligand, PEt2CH2CH2(Ph)PCH2P(Ph)CH2CH2PEt2, et,ph-P4. Under conditions tested no alcohol products were detected. However we have observed formation …

Synthetic Routes To Therapeutic Agents Via Masked Functionalities: From Orthogonal Peptide Crosslink To Photothermal Cancer Prodrug, Chyree Shantel Batton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The theonellamides are a family of compounds distinguished by their crosslinking ô-histidinoalanine (ô-HAL) residue. Part one of this dissertation details the synthesis of an orthogonally protected ô-HAL building block that will be incorporated into a total synthesis of theonellamide C. Selective deprotection of each amine and acid of this orthogonally protected building block is also demonstrated. Various reaction partners for the assembly of ô-histidinoalanine were explored. One approach involved the coupling of N-Fmoc-â-iodoalanine benzyl ester and (Nðim)-blocked histidine nucleophiles including a fused bicyclic urea and a Boc-His(Nð-Pac)-OMe. While the imidazolium salts were identified by mass spectrometry, elimination of the iodide …