ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is with great pleasure that I express my sincere thanks to my research advisor Professor Krishnan Rajeshwar for his extraordinary guidance and encouragement throughout my research period. I wish to extend my warm and sincere thanks to my committee members Professors Zoltan A. Schelly, Richard B. Timmons, Rasika Dias, Richard (Xiyun) Guan, and former committee member Professor Gary R. Kinsel for their helpful comments and advice. I wish to give special thanks to Professor Norma Tacconi and Dr. C. R. Chenthamarakshan for their priceless help and discussions. Thanks also go to all members of our research group for their help and support. I make use of this opportunity to convey my gratitude and appreciation to my dear husband Don Priyantha for his understanding and constant support throughout the course of this dissertation study. Finally, financial support from the TPEG scholarship and Department of Chemistry, UT Arlington, facilitated this study and is gratefully acknowledged