Organic Chemistry III
You will explore three important aspects of organic chemistry: polymers; the use of main-group elements in organic synthesis; and the use of transition metals in organic synthesis. Polymers – perhaps more commonly thought of as plastics – are key components of the world around us, and you will study their properties and synthesis.
Main-group elements, such as sulfur, phosphorus and silicon, and transition metals are powerful tools for the synthetic chemist and are widely applied in the synthesis of medicinally-active compounds.
The module begins by introducing you to the area of supramolecular chemistry, the chemistry of molecular assemblies that also includes molecular machines, for which former Birmingham professor, Sir Fraser Stoddart, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2016.
The module then goes on to explore asymmetric synthesis, in which molecules are synthesised with control of their stereochemistry. This is something that is crucial in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and the Nobel Prize in 2021 was awarded for developments in this area.