Organic Chemistry

Stream Leader

Prof Alethea Tabor: a.b.tabor@ucl.ac.uk

Aims

The organic chemistry stream covers all aspects of the chemistry of carbon compounds, from the synthesis and reactivity of simple molecules, through to therapeutic drug design and the functioning of the molecules of life, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Students following this stream will learn how to synthesise compounds with potential as flavours and fragrances, as pharmaceuticals or as probes for the detailed study of biological processes.

Objectives

Students who complete this stream will understand:

The organic chemistry stream covers all aspects of the chemistry of carbon compounds, from the synthesis and reactivity of simple molecules, through to therapeutic drug design and the functioning of the molecules of life, such as proteins and nucleic acids. Students following this stream will learn how to synthesise compounds with potential as flavours and fragrances, as pharmaceuticals or as probes for the detailed study of biological processes.

• the chemistry of organic functional groups and be able to identify these groups by characterisation methods such as NMR and MS
• the mechanisms of reaction processes and be able to construct synthetic pathways to produce desired products
• the essential structural features and chemistry of complex molecules such as proteins and other natural products
• how to synthesise compounds in the laboratory and confirm the product formation using IR NMR, Mass spectroscopy

Year 1

All Organic Chemistry stream students must take:

• Chemical Foundations (CHEM0005)
• Basic Organic Chemistry (CHEM0008)

and must pick 15 credits from:

• Basic Physical Chemistry (CHEM0009)
• Basic Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM0013)

Year 2

All Organic Chemistry stream students must take:

• Organic Chemistry (CHEM0016)
• Organic Reaction Mechanisms (CHEM0018)

and may take 0 -15 credits of (depending on their option in year 1):

• Inorganic Chemistry for Physical Science (CHEM0015)
• Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences (CHEM0020)

Year 3

All Organic Chemistry stream students must take:

• Advanced Topics in Organic Chemistry (CHEM0034)
• Organic Photochemistry Radicals and Heterocycles (CHEM0035)

If students major in Organic Chemistry they take:

• Synthesis and Characterisation Techniques in Chemistry (CHEM0024)

Students majoring take 15 - 30 credits and students minoring take 0 - 15 credits of the following:

• Principles of Drug Design (CHEM0033)
• another other third year chemistry module (to be agreed with Stream Leader)

Year 4

All students majoring in Organic Chemistry take:

• Advanced Chemical Research Project (CHEM0080) - MSci Research Project 

Students majoring take 15 - 45 credits and students minoring take 0 - 30 credits of the following:

• Topics in Modern Chemistry (CHEM0077) - 15 credits, 3 topics from ~25
• Topics in Modern Chemistry (CHEM0078) - 30 credits, 6 topics from ~25
• Topics in Modern Chemistry (CHEM0079) - 45 credits, 9 topics from ~25

The Organic Chemistry Stream combines with:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Genetics and Evolution
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Neuroscience and Psychology
• History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science