Laboratory Co-ordinator: Dr N. S. Keddie
This module aims to showcase the ability of synthetic organic chemistry to prepare specific molecular targets in a selective manner through a series of simple bond-forming processes. In particular, important functional group transformations and bond-forming methods in organic synthesis will be taught, and an understanding of the reagents needed to achieve these transformations, and their reaction mechanisms, will be developed. The development of an understanding of the nature of aromaticity, combined with basic mechanistic and reactivity principles in these systems will also be introduced. The common reactions of aromatic and heteroaromatic systems will also be showcased.
The basic principles of Medicinal Chemistry will also be introduced, discussing the process of drug design, and how it involves organic chemistry, through a number of case studies. Enzymes will be introduced as biological catalysts and their mode of action and the importance of the reactions will be studied.