3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1024214ANR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Due to specific risks and security issues, students must have successfully passed ‘Organic Chemistry: Structural Aspects' and 'Organic Chemistry: Reactivity' before they can enroll for ‘Organic Chemistry: Methods of Synthesis’.
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Bio-Engineering Sciences
Educational team
Steven Ballet (course titular)
Ulrich Hennecke
Activities and contact hours
13 contact hours Lecture
52 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

Lectures: This course builds on previous courses of the Bachelor of Science program, including ‘Organic Chemistry: Structural Aspects’ and ‘Organic Chemistry: Reactivity’. The main goal of this course consists of applying different kinds of organic reactions in a logical and strategic manner to obtain target (bioactive) molecules via multistep syntheses. Whereas previous courses focused on specific structural features of organic molecules and their basic reactivity, this course serves mostly to identify the ideal string of chemical reactions to quickly access predefined chemical compounds. For this reason, the course serves mostly to strategically apply previous knowledge through the basic concepts of RETROSYNTHESIS rather than expanding the vocabulary of chemical conversions. Nonetheless, new reactions and strategies are still studied (e.g. enolate chemistry, use of protecting groups, chemoselective conversions) and applied.  

Practical sessions: The first laboratory exercises consist of the separation, purification and identification of two or three unknown compounds in a mixture. The following (multistep) synthesis subjects vary from year to year, depending on the supervisor. Examples of chemical steps are a malonate synthesis (synthesis of beta-methylphenylalanine) or a phase transfer-catalyzed alkylation of (diphenylmethylene)glycine ethyl ester, an oxidation reaction (indene to 2-indanone), a Strecker-type synthesis (2-aminoindane-2-carboxylic acid) and a N-protection step. A focus is being placed on biologically active compounds or useful synthetic intermediates that fit ongoing research of the Research Group of Organic Chemistry.

Course material
Course text (Required) : Synthetic Strategy in Bioorganic Chemistry, Powerpoint presentations, personal lecture notes and course, S. Ballet, Dienst uitgaven, VUB, 2220170007328, 2025
Handbook (Recommended) : Organic Chemistry, Clayden, Greeves, Warren and Wothers, 2nd, Oxford University Press, 9780199270293, 2012
Handbook (Recommended) : Workbook for Organic Synthesis: The disconnection approach, 2nd, Wiley, 9780470712276, 2009
Digital course material (Recommended) : powerpoint presentations, Canvas
Digital course material (Recommended) : Supportive texts, can be provided via Canvas on an ad hoc basis
Additional info

In an introductory and compulsory session the essentials of lab safety are taught. Additionally, the students are introduced in the names and use of glassware items (e.g. reflux setup, distillation, extraction, filtration, evaporation, crystallisation, cleaning). 

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

  • The student knows the reactivity of different functional groups and mechanism of all discussed organic reactions;  
  • The student can strategically apply all known reactions in a multistep build-up of the targeted compounds, in order to reach the latter in an efficient manner;  
  • The student knows how to practically set-up an organic reaction in a safe and productive manner;  
  • The student is able to characterize obtained molecules via NMR, MS, IR, optical rotation, melting point determination and all other relevant characterization methods. 

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 40% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Exam practical with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The total score/grade is composed of two parts, namely the subscore reached after evaluation of the practical sessions and the score obtained after the oral exam (with written preparation). The oral exam will mainly consist of solving exercises via the disconnection approach. For the evaluation of the practicals, the following categories and attitudes are quoted: reports, answer to questions during the exercises, preparation, performance in the laboratory, including correct experimental setup, cleanliness and organisation. Students who are illegitimately absent cannot retake the practical exercises and are quoted pro rata the amount of missed exercises. Students who were illegitimately absent on two practical sessions are excluded from the exam. There is no possibility to redo the practical exercises in the 2nd examination session (August/September).

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Bioengineering Sciences: Default track (only offered in Dutch)