The recombination reaction Na + S02 + Ar was investigated at 787 16 K and at pressures from 1.7 to 80 kPa. NaI vapor was photolyzed by an excimer laser at 308 nm to create Na atoms, whose concentration was monitored by time-resolved resonance absorption at 589 nm. The rate constant at the low pressure limit is ko = (2.7 0.2) x 10-21 cm6 molecule-2 s~1. The Na-SO 2 dissociation energy E0 = 170 35 kJ mol1 was calculated with RRKM theory. The equilibrium constant gave a lower limit E0 > 172 kJ mol~ 1. By combination of these two results, E0 = 190 15 kJ mol~ 1 is obtained. The high pressure limit is k, = (1 - 3) x 10-10 cm3 molecule 1 s~1, depending on the extrapolation method used. Two versions of collision theory were employed to estimate k,.. The 'harpoon' model shows the best agreement with experiment.

The growth of strontium sulfate precipitate by diffusion in various gels was studied by using optical transmission and confocal microscopies, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and energy dispersive X ray fluorescence. Pure silica gel, pure agarose gel and the silica/agarose mixed gel at pH 7 - 10 were used throughout the present study. Precipitate morphology is sensitive to pH and to the nature of the growth medium. The morphology was observed as a function of time. The lack of change is presumably because of rapid depletion of the limiting reagent after the very beginning of precipitation. The problem of separating strontium sulfate precipitate from the gel medium is discussed.

Excess molar volumes have been determined for four ternary chlorobenzene + dibutyl ether + alkane mixtures at 25°C. Results of these measurements are used to test the applications and limitations of BAB, Redlich-Kister, Kohler and Hwang et al. cubic models. For the systems studied, Redlich- Kister, Kohler and Cubic models were found to provide reasonable predictions. Differences between experimental and predicted ΔV^ex_123 values were about ±0.020 cm^3mol^-1 or less at most ternary compositions. Solubilities are reported for anthracene in binary mixtures containing propanol and butanol with alkanes at 25°C. Results of these measurements are used to test the NIBS/Redlich-Kister expression. The three-parameter form of this expression is found to provide reasonable mathematical representation with deviations between experimental and back-calculated values being less than ±1%.

The effect of varying substituents on structure and energies of bisketenes was studied using ab initio methods. Effect of substituents on ring closing reaction of bisketenes to the corresponding cyclobutenediones was also studied using ab initio methods. One or two of the following substituents were used to study the effect of varying substituents: BH2, CH3, NH2, OH, F, AlH2, SiH3, PH2, SH, Cl. Studies were done at the Hartree-Fock (HF), Møller-Plesset (MP2), and Density Functional Theory (B3LYP) levels of theory using the 6-31G* basis set.

Nitroglycerin and isoamyl nitrate have been used as nitrovasodilators since the nineteeth century. However, not until recently has it been known that these compounds were useful since they promoted the release of NO in the body. More recently, a new class of drugs, NO donors, has been developed. These include S-nitrosothiols (RSNO), sydnonimines, and nucleophilic NO adducts.

Palladium catalyzed reactions of derivatives of 2,4-diiodophenol are explored. Coupling reactions with a series of terminal alkynes and formylation are found to be efficient and regioselective. Coupling with stananne reagents and alkenes do not work. The nature of the oxygen protecting group is critical. The phytotoxic natural product, Eutypine, is synthesized by using regioselective formylation and alkyne coupling. An approach to the plant antimicrobial compound Plicatin B is examined.

Mixed alkyllithium / lithium alkoxide aggregates in the form (RLi)n(ROLi)m were formed by addition of corresponding alcohol compounds at different Li/O ratios. Variable temperature 13C and 6Li NMR spectroscopy were used to verify the formation of the mixed aggregates and to study their behavior in hydrocarbon solution. Spectra for the lithium n-propoxide / n-propyllithium and iso-butyllithium / lithium iso-butoxide systems each indicated at least one mixed aggregate.

I. Diels-Alder reactions of 1,2,3,4,9,9-hexachloro-1,4,4a,8a-tetrahydro-1,4-metha- nonaphthalene (16) and 1,2,3,4,9,9-hexachloro-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-1,4-methanonaphthalene (17) toward dienophiles N-methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MTAD), N-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) and/or N-methylmaleimide (NMM) have been examined. II. Epoxides derived from functionalized 1,4,4a,9a-tetrahydro-9,10-dioxo-1,4-methanoanthracenes (1a and 1b) undergo acid- and base-promoted intramolecular nucleophilic ring-opening to form new polycyclic alcohols. III. The title cycloalkylidenecarbene has been generated via reaction of 8-methylenepentacyclo[5.4.0.0^{2,6}.0^{3,10}. 0^{5.9}]undecan-11-one (44) with diethyl diazomethyl-phosphonate (DAMP). This species could be trapped in situ by cyclohexene, thereby affording the corresponding cycloadduct 46a and 46b.