Investigations of nanoscale devices involving transition metal chemistry

This thesis concerns the involvement of transition metal chemistry in nanoscale devices.
Chapter 1 describes the surprising synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles from iron(III) salts and the oligopyridine, 2,2'-bipyridine. The synthesis of the nanoparticles is optimised and they are characterised using a variety of techniques.
Chapter 2 regards the synthesis and photophysical behaviour of a family of n-pyridyl-terpyridine ligands and some of their metal complexes. One of the complexes is shown to be a suitable light harvesting dye for use in a photocatalytic water splitting system.
Chapter 3 features details on a synthetic strategy to construct a full-adder molecular device.
Chapter 4 concerns investigations into the limitations of a previously reported facile synthesis of 4'-substituted terpyridines. A combination of aromatic and aliphatic substrates are tested. In-situ infrared spectroscopy is also used to probe the kinetics of these types of reactions.