Transition metals have been extensively employed to address various challenges
related to catalytic organic transformations, small molecule activation, and energy storage
over the last few decades. Inspired by recent catalytic advances mediated by redox noninnocent
pyridine diimine (PDI) and α-diimine (DI) ligand supported transition metals,
our group has designed new PDI and DI ligands by modifying the imine substituents to
feature donor atoms. My doctoral research is focused on the development of PDI and DI
ligand supported low valent first row metal complexes (Mn, Fe, Co) and their application
in bond activation reactions and the hydrofunctionalization of unsaturated bonds.
First two chapters of this dissertation are centered on the synthesis and
application of redox non-innocent ligand supported low valent iron complexes. Notably,
reduction of a DI-based iron dibromide led to the formation of a low valent iron
dinitrogen compound. This compound was found to undergo a sequential C-H and C-P
bond activation processes upon heating to form a dimeric compound. The plausible
mechanism for dimer formation is also described here.
Inspired by the excellent carbonyl hydrosilylation activity of our previously
reported Mn catalyst, (Ph2PPrPDI)Mn, attempts were made to synthesize second generation
Mn catalyst, which is described in the third chapter. Reduction of (PyEtPDI)MnCl2
furnished a deprotonated backbone methyl group containing Mn compound
[(PyEtPDEA)Mn] whereas reduction of (Ph2PEtPDI)MnCl2 produced a dimeric compound,
[(Ph2PEtPDI)Mn]2. Both compounds were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and XRD
analysis. Hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones have been studied using
[(PyEtPDEA)Mn] as a pre-catalyst. Similarly, 14 different aldehydes and 6 different
ii
formates were successfully hydrosilylated using [(Ph2PEtPDI)Mn]2 as a pre-catalyst.
Encouraged by the limited number of cobalt catalysts for nitrile hydroboration, we
sought to develop a cobalt catalyst that is active for hydroboration under mild conditions,
which is discussed in the last chapter. Treatment of (PyEtPDI)CoCl2 with excess NaEt3BH
furnished a diamagnetic Co(I) complex [(PyEtPDIH)Co], which exhibits a reduced imine
functionality. Having this compound characterized, a broad substrate scope for both
nitriles and imines have been investigated. The operative mechanism for nitrile
dihydroboration has been investigated based on the outcomes of a series of stoichiometric
reactions using NMR spectroscopy.
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow co-developed the radioimmunoassay (RIA), a method used to measure minute biological compounds that cause immune systems to produce antibodies. Yalow and research partner Solomon A. Berson developed the RIA in the early 1950s at the Bronx Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital, in New York City, New York. Yalow and Berson's methods expanded scientific research, particularly in the medical field, and contributed to medical diagnostics. For this achievement, Yalow received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1977. The RIA technique is used to measure more than one hundred biochemical substances, including infectious agents, narcotics, and hormones, such as those used to diagnose infertility and hypothyroidism.
Solomon A. Berson helped develop the radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique in the US during the twentieth century. Berson made many scientific contributions while working with research partner Rosalyn Yalow at the Bronx Veterans Administration (VA) hospital, in New York City, New York. In the more than twenty years that Berson and Yalow collaborated, they refined the procedures for tracing diagnostic biological compounds using isotope labels. In the late 1950s they developed the RIA based on the ability to trace the competition between and ligands, or small molecules that bind to specific sites of other biomolecules, and proteins for the same molecular binding site, a process called competitive binding. Scientists widely used Berson and Yalow's RIA, as these methods permit the use of a minimal sample of blood for accurate measurements of biological molecules such as hormones that cause the production of antibodies. Berson and Yalow's research has advanced the study of physiology, including that of the reproductive system, with particular applications to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility.
The estimates of metal-ligand equilibrium constants at 25°C and 1 bar were made using multiple linear free energy relationships in accordance with the metal-coordinating properties of ligands such as denticity, identity of electron donor group, inductive effects and steric hindrance. Analogous relationships were made to estimated metal-ligand complexation entropy that facilitated calculation of equilibrium constants up to 125°C using the van’t Hoff equation. These estimates were made for over 250 ligands that include carboxylic acids, phenols, inorganic acids, amino acids, peptides and proteins.
The stability constants mentioned above were used to obtain metal speciation in several microbial growth media including past bioavailability studies and compositions listed on the DSMZ website. Speciation calculations were also carried out for several metals in blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid that include metals present at over micromolar abundance (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc) and metals of therapeutic or toxic potential (like gallium, rhodium and bismuth). Metal speciation was found to be considerably dependent on pH and chelator concentration that can help in the selection of appropriate ligands for gallium & rhodium based anticancer drugs and zinc-based antidiabetics. It was found that methanobactin can considerably alter copper speciation and is therefore a suitable agent for the treatment of Wilson Disease. Additionally, bismuth neurotoxicity was attributed to the low transferrin concentration in cerebrospinal fluid and the predominance of aqueous bismuth trihydroxide. These results demonstrate that metal speciation calculations using thermodynamic modeling can be extremely useful for understanding metal bioavailability in microbes and human bodily fluids.