- UCAS course code
- F150
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry
A flexible course with a wide range of modules taught by chemists, pharmacists, biologists and medicinal chemists.
Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F150 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Scholarships available
Accredited course
- Typical A-level offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: AAB including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: ABB including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 36 points overall with 6,6,6 at HL, including specific requirements
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £36,000 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances. For information about scholarships/bursaries/sponsorship please see our undergraduate fees pages and visit the Department website .
Course unit details:
Core Chemistry 1
| Unit code | CHEM30411 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 3 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| 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.
Stereoselective Synthesis (Dr Nathan Owston, 8 lectures)
1. Diastereoselectivity in ring systems: conformational analysis and stereoelectronics
2. Diastereoselectivity in acyclic systems
Prochirality
Reactions at C=O: Prochirality, Felkin-Anh model, Chelation control
Reactions at C=C: Houk model
Reactions of enolates: alkylation and aldol reactions, cyclic transition states
Diastereoselective reactions in synthesis: production of single enantiomers
3. Asymmetric synthesis
Chiral pool approaches
Chiral auxiliaries (alkylation/aldol reactions)
Chiral reagents
Resolution
4. Introduction to Asymmetric Catalysis
Catalysis with transition metals (asymmetric reduction of ketones)
Organocatalysis (asymmetric conjugate addition)
5. Applications of stereoselective reactions in synthesis (fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals)
Reactive Intermediates (Dr Roger Whitehead, 8 lectures)
1.Introduction
Neutral reactive intermediates
Carbenes, Nitrenes, Arynes
2. Radicals
What are radicals?
The structure of carbon-centred radicals
The relative stability of different radical species
Historical aspects of radical chemistry
Sources of radical intermediates
Radical reactions in synthesis
Solving unseen problems involving radical intermediates
Pericyclic Reactions (Dr Daniele Leonori, 8 lectures)
1. Introduction
Covalent bonding
Frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs)
2. The Diels-Alder [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction
FMO interactionsStereoselectivity and regioselectivity
Substituents effects
3. Other cycloaddition reactions
[2 + 2] Processes ('forbidden' and 'allowed' variants)
Other (4n + 2) and 4n pairings
4. Selection rules and orbital symmetry
Cycloadditions exemplified
5. Electrocyclic reactions
Introduction to electrocyclic reactions
Conservation of orbital symmetry in the ring-opening of cyclobutene
Hexatriene–cyclohexadiene
6. Sigmatropic rearrangements
[1,5] and [1,7] Hydrogen shifts
[1,3] Sigmatropic shifts
[3,3] Sigmatropic rearrangements
Cope and Claisen rearrangements
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure and reactivity of organic molecules | CHEM20412 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Organic Synthesis | CHEM20411 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
The unit aims to develop further understanding of synthetic and mechanistic organic chemistry with emphasis on reactive intermediates and elements of stereochemistry.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course students should be able to:
- Apply knowledge of molecular structure, reactivity and stereochemistry to both rationalise and predict the stereochemical outcome of chemical reactions
- Evaluate and propose strategies for the synthesis of complex molecules which include stereoselective reactions.
- Describe the various types of reactive intermediates that are of importance in organic chemistry and explain the physical properties and chemical reactivity of such species;
- Describe the factors that influence the structure, stability and reactivity of different radical species and explain the outcome of important reaction processes;
- Describe the various reaction types undergone by synthetically useful free radicals;
- Predict and rationalise the outcome of unseen transformations involving reactive intermediates;
- Understand the fundamental of molecular orbital analysis in pericyclic reactions;
- Be able to rationalise the stereochemical outcome of pericyclic reactions;
Teaching and learning methods
Transferable skills and personal qualities
Enhance transferable skills in the areas of problem solving and analysis
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Example classes and individual feedback from tutors/lecturers
Recommended reading
• C.J.Moody and G.H.Whitham, Reactive Intermediates (An Oxford Chemistry Primer) ISBN: 978-0-198-55672-5
• A.F.Parsons, An Introduction to Free Radical Chemistry (Wiley-Blackwell, 2000) ISBN: 978-0-632-05292-9
• J. Clayden, N. Greeves, S. Warren and P. Wothers, Organic Chemistry (Oxford University Press, 2001) ISBN 0198503466 (Chapters 35 and 36).
• J. Clayden, N. Greeves and S. Warren, Organic Chemistry 2nd edition (Oxford University Press, 2012) ISBN 0199270295 (Chapters 34 and 35).
• I. Fleming, Pericyclic Reactions (Oxford Chemistry Primer, 2nd Edition) (Oxford University Press, 2015) ISBN 0199680900 (affordable, thorough guidebook).
• I. Fleming, Molecular Orbitals and Organic Chemical Reactions: Student Edition (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009) ISBN 0470746599 (a comprehensive reference text).
• G. Procter, Stereoselectivity in Organic Synthesis (Oxford Chemistry Primers) (Oxford University Press, 1998) ISBN 978-0198559573.
• Access to a set of Orbit molecular models is essential.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Assessment written exam | 2 |
| Lectures | 21 |
| Practical classes & workshops | 3 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 74 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Nathan Owston | Unit coordinator |