ÃûæÂÖ±²¥

School of Life Sciences

Organic Synthesis for Med & Nat Products (F1603)

Organic Synthesis for Medicines and Natural Products

Module F1603

Module details for 2025/26.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)

Module Outline

Organic synthesis is essential to produce medicines and to understand the properties and structure of natural products, which frequently form the basis of novel drugs. This module explores two key topics: (1) methods to obtain and construct complex natural products with control of chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity and (2) approaches towards heterocycles found in clinical medicines. From the rich history of heterocyclic chemistry, their properties and underlying mechanisms, you will discover how to use and deploy retrosynthesis, using chiral pool compounds and readily-available building blocks to access a wide range of different biologically active compounds, natural products and current medicines.

Module learning outcomes

Show an in-depth knowledge and critical awareness of current topics in organic synthesis.

Critically evaluate known synthetic strategies for the synthesis of natural products and related compounds.

Understand the underlying mechanistic hypotheses and apply this understanding to solve problems with originality.

Propose new synthetic approaches for the preparation of medicines and natural products.

TypeTimingWeighting
Unseen ExaminationSemester 2 Assessment70.00%
Coursework30.00%
Coursework components. Weighted as shown below.
Problem SetT2 Week 7 100.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Spring SemesterLecture2 hours11111111111
Spring SemesterWorkshop1 hour01111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Prof Mark Bagley

Convenor, Assess convenor
/profiles/285624

Please note that the University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and modules in accordance with the descriptions set out here. However, the University keeps its courses and modules under review with the aim of enhancing quality. Some changes may therefore be made to the form or content of courses or modules shown as part of the normal process of curriculum management.

The University reserves the right to make changes to the contents or methods of delivery of, or to discontinue, merge or combine modules, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the University reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the University withdraws or discontinues a module, it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative module.