| The dissertation includes two major topics; closomers and liposomes. Closomers represent a new family of borane derivatives in which multi-copies of passenger molecules are grafted onto the twelve vertices of icosahedral dodecaborate ions. The development of a variety of synthetic methods to provide ester closomers is described. The method using 1,1' -carbonyldiimidazole activated carboxylic acids and solid support purification protocol provides an expeditious way of obtaining ester closomers. Under higher temperature and pressure, ester closomers can be formed from acid chlorides within 40 hours, which is the shortest reaction time when preparing this type of compounds. Some closomers bearing functionalizable groups exhibit their use as carrier molecules in applications ranging from material science to biomedicine.; The second part, liposomes, describes the synthesis of a novel double-tailed nido-carborane derivative. The new compound results in liposomes of high boron content and could replace non-boron containing DSPC in the formation of liposomes. The liposome properties, such as size distribution, stability, and incorporation efficiency, were studied. The toxicity study of the compound (using mice) was also described. These new synthetic liposomes could be employed in applications where high boron concentration is required. |
