Program Overview

---

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a comprehensive program in Reactions and Synthesis in Medicinal Chemistry, designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills in organic synthesis.

Course Content

The program covers a wide range of topics, including:

• C-alkylation
• Formation and reactions of enolates
• Stereospecific aldol-additions
• Chiral auxilaries
• Functional groups and molecular carbon framework
• Movement of electrons in chemical reactions
• Functional group transformations, including reductions and oxidations
• Mitsunobu and related reactions
• Alfa nucleophiles
• Understanding migration, rearrangement, and fragmentation reactions
• Radical reactions
• Reactions involving carbenes and nitrenes
• Reactions of boranes and stananes
• Electrophiles from electronegative atoms
• The influence of the electronegativity of atoms on chemical bonds and their stability
• Pericyclic reactions
• Click-chemistry
• Transition-metal catalyzed reactions, including a variety of cross-coupling reactions
• Electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions
• Charge dissipation and resonance
• Framework reductions and oxidation reactions
• Understanding of chemistry in 3D, assisted by MM2 of the Chem3D software available at KU for students
• Expecting the unexpected
• Case stories from the medicinal industry: Using advanced organic chemistry in synthesis of natural and medicinal products

Education

The program is part of the following educational pathways:

• MSc Programme in Chemistry
• MSc Programme in Chemistry with a minor subject
• MSc Programme in Medicinal Chemistry

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will acquire the following competencies, skills, and knowledge:

Competencies

• Analyze a complex synthetic problem and plan a feasible synthesis
• Describe the precise movement of electrons in chemical reactions and understand the influence of the third dimension in chemical transformations
• Analyze scientific papers dealing with synthetic problems and spot inconsistencies
• Present the different topics of the course in an organized and scientific manner

Skills

• Apply acquired organic chemistry knowledge to the synthesis of a given target molecule
• Master digital visualization of chemical transformations
• Transpose known chemistry to new synthesis problems using knowledge of probable electron migrations in bond formation, rearrangements, and fragmentations

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of modern organic synthesis in 3-dimensions according to the course content

Teaching and Learning Methods

The program employs a range of teaching and learning methods, including:

• Lectures
• Problem-solving in class
• Oral exam

Literature

Literature for the program will be announced on Absalon.

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic competencies in physical chemistry, quantum chemistry, and inorganic chemistry are necessary, as well as intermediate competencies in organic chemistry and organic synthesis (equivalent to KemiOrg and (Vid)OrgSyn). Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.

Remarks

It is strongly recommended to participate in all teaching activities.

Exam

The program assessment consists of:

• Oral examination, 30 minutes
• Type of assessment details: The student presents one of 20 topics, which are made available to the students in the fifth week of the block. After the presentation, the student is asked specific and general questions in the topic and related material.
• Aid: Only certain aids are allowed (see description below)
• A short PowerPoint, PDF, or similar file with a summary for each of the examination topics for presentation of the topic selected by the student.
• A personal laptop with HDMI connection may be used for the presentation
• Marking scale: 7-point grading scale
• Censorship form: No external censorship, several internal examiners
• Re-exam: The re-examination is a 30-minute oral exam based on a set of questions related to the textbook, where the student picks one at random.

Course Type

The program is a single subject course (day) with a workload of:

• Category: Lectures, 28 hours
• Preparation, 290 hours
• Theory exercises, 70 hours
• Exam, 24 hours
• English, 412 hours

Language

The program is taught in English.

Course Number

The course number is NKEK13007U.

ECTS

The program is worth 15 ECTS.

Programme Level

The program is at the Full Degree Master level.

Duration

The program duration is 2 blocks.

Placement

The program is placed in Block 1 and Block 2.

Schedule Group

The schedule group is A.

Capacity

There is no limitation, unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.

Study Board

The study board is the Study Board of Physics, Chemistry, and Nanoscience.

Contracting Department

The contracting department is the Department of Chemistry.

Contracting Faculty

The contracting faculty is the Faculty of Science.

Course Coordinator

The course coordinator is Morten Peter Meldal.