UnitLevel 2Undergraduate

BPS2021 Synthetic chemistry I: structure and reactivity

Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

BPS2021 Synthetic chemistry I: structure and reactivity is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, offered in 2022 in Semester 1 at Parkville. It needs BPS1021 and BPS1022 and unlocks 1 unit.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2022
Semester 1
Parkville
Assessment
Exam 60%
and 3 other tasks

This is the 2022 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

After BPS2021

1 unit list BPS2021 as a prerequisite or corequisite.

Overview

The ability to make or modify small molecules and to confirm their identity is fundamental to the drug discovery and development process. Synthetic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity introduces students to the theoretical principles and practical tools of chemical synthesis, including key analytical techniques (such as NMR and mass spectroscopy) used to structurally elucidate organic compounds. The unit takes a functional group approach to examine the structure of organic molecules and their potential to interact and react with other molecules, an approach that is highly relevant not only to synthetic applications, but also more generally to drug design, drug-target interactions and drug formulation.

Offerings in 2022

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterParkvilleOn campus

Assessment

  • Workshop quizzesWorkshopThreshold hurdle
    10%
  • Mid-semester testIn class testThreshold hurdle
    15%
  • Laboratory-based activitiesOtherThreshold hurdle
    15%
  • Laboratory-based examIn class testThreshold hurdle
    10%
  • End of semester asessmentExamThreshold hurdle
    50%

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Analyse the chemical structure of pharmaceutical compounds with regard to their properties (steric, electronic, acid-base) and their reactivity using a functional group approach.

  2. 2

    Formulate basic reaction mechanisms using the arrow-pushing formalism.

  3. 3

    Apply kinetic and thermodynamic principles to rationalise basic reaction pathways.

  4. 4

    Safely and competently perform a basic chemical synthesis, including product purification and collection of analytical data to characterise the product.

  5. 5

    Describe the physical basis of selected spectroscopic techniques (primarily mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance) and explain their role in the identification of drug molecules.

  6. 6

    Systematically analyse, interpret and report spectroscopic data to characterise small molecule synthesis products.

  7. 7

    Clearly and accurately discuss and evaluate experimental data in a written laboratory report format.

Workload and teaching

  • Assessments1 hours
  • Laboratories24 hours
  • Workshops12 hours
  • Applied sessions12 hours
  • Teaching approachProblem-based learning
  • Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
  • Teaching approachActive learning
  • Teaching approachOnline learning
  • Twelve 1-hour online preparation modules (discovery)
  • Twenty-four 1-hour lectures (online modules)
  • Twelve 1-hour Q&A sessions
  • Six 2-hour workshops
  • Six 4-hour laboratories
  • One hour of scheduled assessments

Problem solving workshops

Laboratory experiments

Interactive lectures and workshops

Moodle discovery modules with 'check your learning' questions

Learning resources

Contacts

Unit Coordinators
Professor Peter Scammells
Chief Examiners
Professor Peter Scammells

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for BPS2021?

You need BPS1021 and BPS1022 before you enrol.

What can I take after BPS2021?

BPS2021 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including BPS3042.

When is BPS2021 offered?

In 2022, BPS2021 runs in Semester 1 at Parkville.

Does BPS2021 have an exam?

Yes. The exam is worth 60% of the final mark, alongside 4 other tasks.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
2
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 2
Study abroad
Available