6 ECTS credits
180 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4023255ENR for all students in the 1st semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
Partim 1: Synthesis and Structure of Peptides
Chapter 1. Introduction: What are peptides? & Why study peptides?
Chapter 2. Peptide synthesis: Protection schemes, coupling procedures, strategy for solution synthesis and solid phase synthesis;
Chapter 3. Peptide conformations: general aspects, including flexibility, secondary structure elements, conformational analysis by NMR;
Chapter 4. Limitations of natural peptides: Conformational constraints, Replacements of the peptide bond, Metabolic stabilization, Enzyme inhibitors, Case studies of synthetic methods, including ligation techniques.
Partim 2: Oligonucleotides and oligosaccharides
Chapter 1. Structure and function of carbohydrates; secondary structure formation of oligo- and polysaccharides.
Chapter 2. Synthesis of Oligosaccharides: glycosylation methods and protecting group strategies.
Chapter 3. Structure and function of nucleic acids; secondary structure formation (base-pairing; dimerization, double helices).
Chapter 4. Synthesis of nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides.
Chapter 5. Modified nucleic acids and their application in bioorganic chemistry and material science.
Partim 3: Synthesis and properties of synthetic polymers
Chapter 1. Introduction: important concepts
Chapter 2. Step growth polymerization: polycondensation & polyaddition
Chapter 3. Chain growth polymerization: radical, cationic, anionic, coordination, ring opening polymerization
Chapter 4. Copolymerization
Chapter 5. Properties and characterization of polymers
Partim 1: Synthesis and Structure of Peptides
Course text (Required): Course text and lecture notes
Handbook (Recommended) : An introduction to peptide chemistry, P.D. Bailey, Wiley, 9780471935322, 1991; Handbook (Recommended) : Amino acid and peptide synthesis, John Jones, 2de, Oxford chemistry primers, 9780199257386, 2002; Chemistry of Peptide Synthesis, N. Leo Benoiton. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL. 2006; Synthesis of Peptides and Peptidomimetics, Ed. M. Goodman, Houben-Weyl Methods of Organic Synthesis, vol E 22, Thieme, Stuttgart 2002; Fmoc Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series), Ed. W. C. Chan, Peter D. White, Oxford Univesity Press, 2000; Chemical Approaches to the Synthesis of Peptides and Proteins (New Directions in Organic & Biological Chemistry), Paul Lloyd-Williams, Fernando Albericio, Ernest Giralt, CRC Press 1997.
Partim 3: Synthesis and properties of synthetic polymers
Course text (Required): Course text and lecture notes
Handbook (Recommended): Introduction to Polymers, R.J. Young and P.A. Lovell, Third edition, Chapman & Hall
Partim 1: Synthesis and Structure of Peptides
The student knows how to design and synthesize a peptide; possesses insights on the conformation adopted by small peptides; possesses knowledge of recent research and industrial developments in the peptide field.
Partim 3: Synthesis and properties of synthetic polymers
The student knows the different polymerization mechanisms used in polymer science; possesses knowledge on important factors that influence these mechanisms; possesses insight on the polymerization-properties relationships and polymer properties in general
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 33% of the final mark.
Written Exam determines 67% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Partim 1: Synthesis and Structure of Peptides
Oral exam with written preparation. The student has to present a scientific publication (prepared in advance) on peptide synthesis, propose a strategy for a virtual peptide synthesis and discuss all used methods. Finally, a specific conformational problem will be discussed.
Partim 2: Oligonucleotides and oligosaccharides
Partim 3: Synthesis and properties of synthetic polymers
Written exam consisting of 2 partims (1 for partim 2 and 1 for partim 3).
The student should pass both individual partim exams.
The overall score is the mean value of the partim subscores. A minimal score of 10/20 for each partim should be reached to pass for the entire course. If the student obtains at least half of the score for an individual part, partial marks are transferred to the second session and to the next academic year. Students may not relinquish partial marks.
The use of generative AI has to follow the guidelines described by the Chemistry department on the e-platform CANVAS.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Chemistry: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Chemistry: Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
Master of Chemistry: Chemical Theory, (Bio)Molecular Design and Synthesis
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: chemie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)