| 1. |
- Halldin Stenlid, Joakim, 1987-
(författare)
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Computational Studies of Chemical Interactions: Molecules, Surfaces and Copper Corrosion
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The chemical bond – a corner stone in science and a prerequisite for life – is the focus of this thesis. Fundamental and applied aspects of chemical bonding are covered including the development of new computational methods for the characterization and rationalization of chemical interactions. The thesis also covers the study of corrosion of copper-based materials. The latter is motivated by the proposed use of copper as encapsulating material for spent nuclear fuel in Sweden.In close collaboration with experimental groups, state-of-the-art computational methods were employed for the study of chemistry at the atomic scale. First, oxidation of nanoparticulate copper was examined in anoxic aqueous media in order to better understand the copper-water thermodynamics in relation to the corrosion of copper material under oxygen free conditions. With a similar ambition, the water-cuprite interface was investigated with regards to its chemical composition and reactivity. This was compared to the behavior of methanol and hydrogen sulfide at the cuprite surface.An overall ambition during the development of computational methods for the analysis of chemical bonding was to bridge the gap between molecular and materials chemistry. Theory and results are thus presented and applied in both a molecular and a solid-state framework. A new property, the local electron attachment energy, for the characterization of a compound’s local electrophilicity was introduced. Together with the surface electrostatic potential, the new property predicts and rationalizes regioselectivity and trends of molecular reactions, and interactions on metal and oxide nanoparticles and extended surfaces.Detailed atomistic understanding of chemical processes is a prerequisite for the efficient development of chemistry. We therefore envisage that the results of this thesis will find widespread use in areas such as heterogeneous catalysis, drug discovery, and nanotechnology.
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| 2. |
- Sauer, Christopher, 1993
(författare)
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Green Aromatics: Catalytic Valorisation of bio-derived 2,5-dimethylfuran over Zeolites and Zeotypes
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis discusses the use of biomass as a potentially green feedstock for the chemical industry in the urgent shift away from fossil resources. I elaborate on reasons why we cannot afford to burn virgin biomass for energy production, among them a variety of ecosystem services that forests and other lands provide. In addition, the utilisation of biomass should be focused on products that sequester and lock away carbon for more extended periods, e.g. timber, materials and chemicals. In particular, biomass can be used as an alternative "carbon neutral" feedstock for the chemical industry, where we can preserve the already existing chemical complexity in the bio-based molecules. One example is the upgrading of furans to benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) aromatics with the help of zeolite catalysis. These aromatics are important commodity chemicals, where the shift to a bio-based resource could make use of already existing knowledge, catalyst and production infrastructure. However, research is necessary to understand these new feedstock molecules and their interaction with the catalysts and to enable the design of applicable catalysts. In order to study the interaction of the furans, in particular 2,5-dimethylfuran (2,5-dmf), I describe and discuss the development of an analytical methodology that utilises infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry for the on-line identification and quantification of product molecules during catalytic reactions. This on-line analysis method is then applied to the catalytic conversion of 2,5-dmf to aromatics over a range of zeolite and zeotype catalysts. In-depth studies with ammonia as a probe molecule of the catalytic active acid sites, as well as temperature programmed experiments with ammonia and 2,5-dmf give insights into product distribution, selectivity changes and deactivation of the catalyst. For example, olefins and aromatics are initially preferred products, while with increasing time on stream, the isomerisation of 2,5-dmf becomes dominant. The incorporation of Ga into the zeotype framework, resulting in a Ga-Silicate, shows how targeted catalyst design can increase overall aromatics production. This catalyst is also suitable for selective isomerisation of 2,5-dmf to 2,4-dimethylfuran, which has a rare substitution pattern. Finally, itwas found that the most valuable of BTX, p -xylene, can be produced more selectively when 2,5-dmf is pre-adsorbed onto zeolite ZSM-5 and then released during a temperature programmed product desorption.
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| 3. |
- Wojas, Natalia
(författare)
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The dynamic surface nature of calcite and its role in determining the adsorptive stability toward hydrophobizing carboxylic fatty acids
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Calcium carbonate has attracted a lot of interest over the centuries. Nowadays, mainly as mineral pigment and filler, it has a wide use in technological applications ranging from paper, construction, polymers, and environmental solutions to consumer goods. Amongst these uses, the filler pigment is required to display either hydrophilicity (for applications in aqueous colloidal systems, including, for example, in paper and emulsion paints), or, in contrast, oleophilicity (for applications in contact with oil-based systems, such as plastics and volatile solvent-containing sealants). To achieve oleophilicity, and resulting hydrophobicity, the filler is surface treated, typically using carboxylic fatty acids. In this thesis, effects of humidity and fatty carboxylic acids vapor on CaCO3 surface wettability and nanomechanical properties were studied, with the aim to gain knowledge on layer packing density and order, as well as resistance to water exposure and mechanical wear. A better understanding of the dynamic nature of the calcite surface presented in this work allows the industry to increase sustainable control over materials production and storage. First, a setup combining an atomic force microscope (AFM) with a humidifier was used to map nanomechanical properties of growing surface domains (hydrated form of CaCO3) formed by ion dissolution, diffusion, and redeposition, a process that is not reversible upon drying. Secondly, AFM and contact angle goniometer measurements showed that the stability of the calcite surface improves with increasing carboxylic acid chain length (C2 to C18). Meanwhile, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy techniques demonstrated that a coherent layer with maximum packing density of carboxylate and carboxylic acid species was achieved with the use of stearic acid (C18) with high enough vapor pressure and exposure time. The AFM images successfully visualized that a complete C18 monolayer is capable of countering nano-wear of the calcite surface despite the humidity (under the range of loads investigated in this work) and the layer has self-healing properties, while calcite displayed high abrasive wear. Further, when calcite coated by a highly packed monolayer of C18 was covered with a water droplet, a large contact angle hysteresis resulted in a coffee ring effect (CRE). That is leading to formation of hillocks at the contact line consisting of dissolved fatty carboxylic acid and possibly calcium bicarbonate Ca(HCO3)2 molecules transported from the bare calcite region that also is created next to the droplet edge. Interestingly, C18 coated calcite remained considerably more stable in the case where a water droplet saturated with octanoic acid was used instead of water; thus, it was concluded that the CRE can be contained via reduction of the liquid surface tension and contact angle hysteresis.
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| 4. |
- Caraballo, Rémi, 1982-
(författare)
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Dynamic Sulfur Chemistry : Screening, Evaluation and Catalysis
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis deals with the design, formation and evaluation of dynamic systems constructed by means of sulfur-containing reversible reactions, in organic and aqueous media and under mild conditions. In a first part, the synthesis of thioglycoside derivatives, constituting the biologically relevant starting components of the dynamic systems, is described. In addition, the pD-profile of the mutarotation process in aqueous media for a series of 1-thioaldoses is reported and revealed an astonishing beta-anomeric preference for all the carbohydrate analogs under acidic or neutral conditions. In a second part, the phosphine-catalyzed or -mediated disulfide metathesis for dynamic system generation in organic or aqueous media is presented, respectively. The direct in situ 1H STD-NMR resolution of a dynamic carbohydrate system in the presence of a target protein (Concanavalin A) proved the suitability and compatibility of such disulfide metathesis protocols for the discovery of biologically relevant ligands. In a third part, hemithioacetal formation is demonstrated as a new and efficient reversible reaction for the spontaneous generation of a dynamic system, despite a virtual character of the component associations in basic aqueous media. The direct in situ 1H STD-NMR identification of the best dynamic beta-galactosidase inhibitors from the dynamic HTA system was performed and the results were confirmed by inhibition studies. Thus, the HTA product formed from the reaction between 1-thiogalactopyranose and a pyridine carboxaldehyde derivative provided the best dynamic inhibitor. In a fourth and final part, a dynamic drug design strategy, where the best inhibitors from the aforementioned dynamic HTA system were used as model for the design of non-dynamic (or “static”) beta-galactosidase inhibitors, is depicted. Inhibition studies disclosed potent leads among the set of ligands.
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| 5. |
- Sahlberg, Martin, 1981-
(författare)
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Light-Metal Hydrides for Hydrogen Storage
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Demands for zero greenhouse-gas emission vehicles have sharpened with today’s increased focus on global warming. Hydrogen storage is a key technology for the implementation of hydrogen powered vehicles. Metal hydrides can claim higher energy densities than alternative hydrogen storage materials, but a remaining challenge is to find a metal hydride which satisfies all current demands on practical usability. Several metals store large amounts of hydrogen by forming a metal hydride, e.g., Mg, Ti and Al. The main problems are the weight of the material and the reaction energy between the metal and hydrogen. Magnesium has a high storage capacity (7.6 wt.% hydrogen) in forming MgH2; this is a slow reaction, but can be accelerated either by minimizing the diffusion length within the hydride or by changing the diffusion properties. Light-metal hydrides have been studied in this thesis with the goal of finding new hydrogen storage compounds and of gaining a better understanding of the parameters which determine their storage properties. Various magnesium-containing compounds have been investigated. These systems represent different ways to address the problems which arise in exploiting magnesium based materials. The compounds were synthesized in sealed tantalum tubes, and investigated by in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, isothermal measurements, thermal desorption spectroscopy and electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that hydrogen storage properties can be improved by alloying magnesium with yttrium or scandium. Mg-Y-compounds decompose in hydrogen to form MgH2 nano-structures. Hydrogen desorption kinetics are improved compared to pure MgH2. The influence of adding a third element, gallium or zinc has also been studied; it is shown that gallium improves hydrogen desorption from YH2. ScAl1-xMgx is presented here for the first time as a hydrogen storage material. It absorbs hydrogen by forming ScH2 and Al(Mg) in a fully reversible reaction. It is shown that the hydrogen desorption temperature of ScH2 is reduced by more than 400 °C by alloying with aluminium and magnesium.
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| 6. |
- Svensson, Britt-Marie, 1956-
(författare)
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Methodology for evaluation of hazards from solid waste and landfill-generated leachate
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A methodology based on an analytical protocol for evaluation of hazards from landfill leachate and solid waste is described. A dynamic analytical protocol, the LAQUA protocol, including measurements of inorganic and water-quality parameters, polar and non-polar organic marker compounds, and toxicity, was constructed. An acute toxicity test, using the brackish water crustacean Artemia salina as test organism, was developed. The methodology was applied to authentic problems such as investigation of different treatment techniques for landfill leachate, evaluation of leaching tests and characterization of solid wastes, and an investigation of a filter material aimed for leachate treatment. Investigated treatment methods comprised in all cases pre-treatment by aeration combined with sedimentation, followed by one of: bioremediation, ozonation, chemical oxidation by Fenton’s reagent, or geo-bed filters. Evaluated filter materials were mixtures of natural or residual waste products. A combination of pre-treatment followed by a geo-bed filter containing a mixture of peat and carbon-containing ash gave an efficient simultaneous removal of metals and organic pollutants. The performance of two leaching tests for characterization of solid waste, the up-flow percolation test (SIS-CEN/TS 14405:2004) and the batch test (SS-EN 12457 -3), was investigated. Solid waste materials (sludge from street gutters and fragmented metallic waste) were characterized using leaching tests and the hazards of the materials were evaluated in the eluate, obtained at specific liquid-to-solid ratios (L/S). The L/S 2 and L/S 10 values were compared with limit values included in the waste acceptance criteria (WAC). The analyses were extended towards specific organic compounds, such as individual phenolic compounds and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Organic compounds were found in eluates from both types of tests, showing the possibility to use these methods to evaluate the leaching of such compounds from waste materials. The use of authentic leachate as leachant, leads to increased concentrations of heavy metals in the eluate, compared to the prescribed use of demineralised water as leachant. Generally good agreement was found between the results of the two leaching methods. A strategy based on batch tests is described for investigation of a filter material for leachate treatment. Batch tests gave suitable information about the leaching from new and used material, and showed high removal efficiencies of metals and non-polar organic compounds. However, for investigation of removal of polar organic markers (e.g. phenolic compounds) a batch test is not sufficient and should be supplemented by a column test.
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| 7. |
- Vongvilai, Pornrapee, 1978-
(författare)
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Dynamic Covalent Resolution: Applications in System Screening and Asymmetric Synthesis
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Combined thermodynamic/kinetic events amount to a kinetically controlled Dynamic Combinatorial Resolution (DCR) process, where the lability of themolecules/aggregates are used to generate dynamics, and the species experiencing the lowest activation energy is selected via kinetic process. Bothinter- and intramolecular processes can be performed using this concept,resulting in complete resolution and associated amplification of the selected species. When intermolecular processes are resolved using this method, an additional advantage is that only a catalytic amount of selector is required tocontrol the system.In this thesis, the Henry and Strecker reactions were developed as efficient C–C bond-forming routes to single and multi-level dynamic covalent systems.These methods efficiently provided a vast variety of substrates from smallnumbers of starting compounds. These dynamic systems, generated underthermodynamic control at mild conditions, were coupled in one-pot processes with kinetically controlled lipase-mediated transacylation. The enzym emediated resolution of the dynamic nitroaldol system led to enantiomericallypure β-nitroacetates in high yield. Furthermore, combination of multi-leveldynamic Strecker systems and lipase-mediated acylation resulted in theresolution of specific α-aminonitriles from the pool.In addition, the asymmetric synthesis of discrete β-nitroalkanol derivatives wassimply achieved, resulting in high yields and high enantiomeric purities through the direct one-pot procedure. Moreover, racemase type activity oflipase enzyme through N-substituted α-aminonitrile structure has been discovered. By use of control experiments together with molecular modeling,the mechanism of the racemization process has been established. Asymmetric synthesis of N-methyl α-aminonitriles was also performed through the dualfunction of lipase, resulting in high yield and good enantio selectivity.
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| 8. |
- Kiraev, Salauat
(författare)
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Unravelling Sensitisation and Quenching Pathways in Lanthanide Luminophores
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Lanthanide (Ln) ions find use in cellular detection and probing of many analytes, owing to their unique photophysical properties. However, to make the Ln emission efficient, one has to develop a light-harvesting antenna, which is an organic chromophore that absorbs and transfers energy to the Ln. By exciting the Ln complex, photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) from the antenna to the readily reducible Ln might occur. Usually, PeT is quenching Ln emission intensity. Thus, the work herein aims to evaluate and distinguish sensitising and quenching pathways in Ln emission to improve the brightness of Ln luminophores for biological applications.After presenting an introduction to Ln photophysics and sensitisation in chapter 1, chapter 2 describes our work on Ln octa- and nonacoordinate complexes bearing the same antenna. We demonstrated that the azide and alkyne reactive groups could be attached to the antenna to make Ln complexes bioconjugable. The saturation of the Ln coordination environment resulted in intraligand PeT, which cancelled out the benefits of eliminated quenching from the coordinated water molecule.To study the effect of photoredox quenching in Eu emission, we focused on tuning reduction potentials for a possible response in luminescence properties in chapter 3. Increasing positive charges of complexes destabilised Eu3+ and decreased Ln emission quantum yields. This behaviour was due to PeT quenching of the more readily reducible Eu under similar sensitisation conditions. Fluoride binding boosted Ln emission intensity in the least Eu3+-stabilising ligand field.In chapter 4, the role of a tertiary amide linker between the antenna and the metal binding site was examined. For poorly emissive coumarin-appended complexes quenching via photoinduced reduction of Eu from the antenna was unlikely, while in carbostyril-sensitised complexes PeT was efficient.Ln compounds with lower ligand denticity allowed better fluoride detection via the increased effect of PeT quenching and the larger number of water molecules, as shown in chapter 5. However, the presence of cyanide significantly quenched Eu emissions of the same complexes, making it possible to distinguish cyanide from fluoride.Chapters 6‒7 were devoted to the sensitisation of Yb luminescence. The NIR emission intensity increased marginally in the complexes with efficient PeT. The main sensitising effect originated from phonon-assisted energy transfer favourable in our Yb complexes. When picolinate donors stimulated intraligand PeT, detrimental to the ligand fluorescence in Yb compounds, Yb emission was noticeably more intense than in the first series without picolinates.
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| 9. |
- Lundborg, Lina, 1986-
(författare)
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Effects of methyl jasmonate on chemical defenses of conifer seedlings in relation to feeding by Hylobius abietis
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The chemical elicitor methyl jasmonate (MeJA) could replace insecticides in Europe and Asia for protection of young conifers against the pine weevil (Hylobius abietis). This thesis mainly focuses on the effects of MeJA treatment on chemical defenses of conifers from seedling batches with documented field resistance. Tissues of three pine species and one spruce species, with various treatments, were here extracted in hexane, whereafter volatile contents of tissues were separated and analyzed by 2D GC-MS.Induced responses of seedlings of Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) to the folivore pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa), and the phloem-feeder H. abietis, have been studied. Amounts of mono- and sesqui-terpenes (and also non-volatile resin) in conifer tissues (needles and phloem) were less induced by T. pityocampa than by H. abietis.The MeJA-treated seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) changed their composition of phloem monoterpenes (induction of (-)-β-pinene), and were better protected in field than the seedlings of Norway spruce (Picea abies), which increased their total amounts of monoterpenes. Orientation bioassays with H. abietis showed deterrent effects of (-)-β-pinene, (+)-3-carene, (-)-bornyl acetate and 1,8-cineole. Conversely, (-)-α-pinene (induced in P. abies but not in P. sylvestris) was non-deterrent.MeJA-treated seedlings fed on by H. abietis contained higher amounts of the H. abietis antifeedant 2-phenylethanol, in tissues and emissions. Phloem of control seedlings instead induced the (+)-α-pinene, which is one of the enantiomers of the H. abietis attractant α-pinene.In response to MeJA treatment, the relative amounts of the (+)-α-pinene increased in the phloem of P. radiata, while it decreased in P. pinaster phloem. The preference of H. abietis in the field for P. radiata before P. pinaster may be explained by these changes in enantiomers of the H. abietis attractant α-pinene.
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| 10. |
- Thornqvist, Viveca
(författare)
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Synthesis of Spiro-bicyclo[2.2.2]Octane Derivatives Towards the Development of Paclitaxel Mimetics
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many of the drugs that are developed in the pharmaceutical industry have their origin in natural products. Paclitaxel, the active substance of the medicine Taxol, was found in the bark of the Pacific yew tree (Taxus brevifolia). This was discovered in the early 1960's when a screening program was initiated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the US, with the aim to find new natural products that could be of use in cancer treatment. The low yield of paclitaxel from the bark and the fact that the tree dies without its bark, together with the many positive reports on different types of tumors, lead to a massive effort to find new ways of producing paclitaxel. Production via total synthesis of this complex molecule is both complicated and expensive. However, the need could be satisfied via a semi synthetic route starting from a closely related analogue, which can be isolated from the leaves of the European yew (Taxus baccata). Today, paclitaxel is produced by plant tissue cultures and is used in the treatment of a variety of cancers. However, its use is limited due to severe side effects, low water solubility and resistance. The primary intention with the work presented in this thesis was to synthesize paclitaxel mimetics and to test them for biological activity. Paclitaxel mimetics can be described as synthetic, structurally simplified compounds which share paclitaxel's mechanism of action and that ideally show the same or improved activity. Compounds of this kind might become valuable tools for further investigations aimed at addressing the various concerns of paclitaxel. For the design of our paclitaxel mimetic, we searched for simple rigid skeletons that could replace paclitaxel's complex core structure. The geometry of the new structure had to be such, that when decorated with the pharmacophores (structural parts that are of importance for activity) of paclitaxel, they should have proper spatial arrangements. By molecular modelling we identified a spiro-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane framework to be a suitable core structure. In the course of our study, we successfully developed a synthesis of novel racemic bridgehead hydroxyl bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives. This methodology was subsequently modified so as to allow the synthesis of both enantiomers of the bicyclic structures in high enantiomeric excess. In addition, a methodology for the spiro-annulation was developed. Functionalisation of the spiro-bicyclic core structure with the necessary paclitaxel pharmacophores, in order to obtain a testable mimetic, still remains to be completed.
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