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• Undergraduate study:
• Courses
• Order a prospectus
• How to apply
• Information for applicants
• Why choose Kingston University
• Disability and mental health support
• Accommodation
• Undergraduate fees
• Fees, funding and payments
• Access, participation and inclusion

Advanced Organic and Medicinal Chemistry

• Module code: CH7002
• Year: 2017/8
• Level: 7
• Credits: 30
• Pre-requisites: Organic and Medicinal Chemistry (level 5)
• Co-requisites: None

Summary

This is a core module for MChem and MPharmSci degree courses. The module expands on previously taught material to give students a detailed understanding of the chemistry, processes and methodologies involved in developing modern pharmaceuticals from lead identification, medicinal design principles and process development leading up to industrial scale synthesis of the active ingredients. Detailed case studies of example diseases will be used to highlight the methodologies utilised by modern pharmaceutical companies in the design of current and future drugs. 

Aims

• To expand upon students current understanding of organic reactions mechanisms and synthesis.
• To illustrate, using specific therapeutic examples, the role of organic and physical chemistry in the discovery, design and delivery of therapeutic agents.
• To illustrate, by example, the approaches taken by medicinal chemists to design new pharmaceuticals, and improve bioavailability of existing compounds, via rational drug design.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• To expand upon students current understanding of organic reactions mechanisms and synthesis.
• To illustrate, using specific therapeutic examples, the role of organic and physical chemistry in the discovery, design and delivery of therapeutic agents.
• To illustrate, by example, the approaches taken by medicinal chemists to design new pharmaceuticals, and improve bioavailability of existing compounds, via rational drug design.

Curriculum content

• Detailed coverage of a number of core organic reaction mechanisms and advanced functional group interconversions and their application in the synthesis of complex molecular scaffolds.
• Combinatorial synthesis and advanced synthetic techniques for the rapid generation of compound libraries for lead identification.
• Advanced anti-cancer drugs, general overview with specific examples and modes of action, followed by case study.
• Advanced anti-viral drugs, general overview with specific examples and modes of action, followed by case study.
• Anti-depressants, general overview with specific examples and modes of action, followed by case study.

Teaching and learning strategy

One series of lectures (23 x 3 hours each) will be used to deliver the core material.  This will primarily consist of lecture material, however, an allocation of this core time will be utilised as workshops as and when the teaching material requires.  The workshops will supplement and illustrate the current lecture material in addition to providing the students with an opportunity to clarify any aspects of the topics being taught. The workshops will also be used to develop the students' problem solving and synthetic design skills by tackling case study and exam style questions. The workshops will also provide opportunities for student to get feedback from staff on their progress. The practical sessions will provide students experience of conducting advanced organic reactions.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Assessment strategy

Practical performance and reporting skills will be assessed by a full laboratory report. Students will also produce a written assignment on one aspect of medicinal chemistry; students will have the option to submit a first draft which will be formatively assessed so that students get relevant feedback on their writing style to act as feed forward for their summatively assessed full assignment write-up. Further formative assessment in the form of workshops and open-learning resources will be employed to allow students to gauge their comprehension of the material and the level of their skills development. These will provide the students with regular feedback during the year. The 3-hour exam will require students to do four long answer questions.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Elements of Assessment

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

G. Patrick, An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, 5^th Edition, OUP, 2013

S. Warren, Organic Synthesis, Strategy and Control, Wiley (2007)

Bibliography recommended reading

R. Silverman, The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Drug Action, Academic Press (2004)

M. Smith & J. March, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, 6^th Edition Wiley (2007)