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MChem Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Structure and Reactivity

Course unit fact file
Unit code CHEM10412
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Department of Chemistry
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 21/22 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates.

Carbonyl group chemistry, substitution and elimination reactions at saturated carbon, and reactions at alkenes and arenes.

 

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Introductory Chemistry CHEM10101 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

Provide an introduction to organic chemistry and develop a solid understanding of mechanisms

Learning outcomes

  • To predict the outcome of reactions at sp2 centres in terms of interaction of orbitals.
  • To apply knowledge of structure and bonding to rationalise the mechanism of reactions at sp2 centres.
  • To introduce organic reactivity in the context of CHEM10101.
  • To provide a grounding in basic mechanistic organic chemistry, to include orbital description of reactions and basic stereoelectronics (continuity from “shape” in CHEM10101).
  • To emphasise interdisciplinary aspects (to run synchronously with kinetics in CHEM10212).
  • To predict the outcome of reactions at sp2 centres in terms of interaction of orbitals.
  • To apply knowledge of structure and bonding to rationalise the mechanism of reactions at sp2 centres.
  • To define the concept of aromaticity and use it to rationalise and predict reactivity of arenes.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

Students will be expected to  use material covered in lectures or tutorials to independently search different text sources to support their understanding and thus encourage and reinforce investigative skills. The course contains in-lecture problems and the tutorials are problem-based ensuring students can illustrate core understanding but the problem-solving skills involved will also include challenging problems designed to develop and advance their analytical skills in bringing different concepts to bear on unseen problems. The tutorials in support of this course material also provide facility for student to develop communication skills through group discussions of problems and reporting on the own work in a group setting.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 100%

Feedback methods

  • Students will be expected to submit tutorial problem sheets that will be marked and discussed in three-weekly tutorials.
  • Revision lectures and problem sessions will be held during and/or at the beginning of each teaching block.
  • Three workshops will be held at the end of the teaching session.
  • Online quizzes will be provided once a week.

Recommended reading

J Clayden, N Greeves, S Warren, Organic Chemistry, 2nd edition, OUP, 2012

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Assessment written exam 2
Lectures 21
Practical classes & workshops 3
Tutorials 3
Independent study hours
Independent study 71

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Igor Larrosa Unit coordinator

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