Introductory description

This module is only available to Chemistry students undertaking an industry placement in Year 3.

This module builds on core concepts covered in Year 1 and Year 2 modules and laboratories and expands knowledge and understanding of broad aspects of chemistry, while relating them to a real-world challenge and contexts.
The module content will be delivered remotely and will contain taught lecture elements of CH3H1 Analytical Science for Global Challenges, CH3G9 Catalysis, and CH3H5 Designing and Making Functional Organic Molecules and .

The lectures will be supported by workshops and assessment incorporating the knowledge acquired during the module within the environment of the student placement.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Analytical Science
The section is split into 4 topics covering a separate technique/family of techniques, with the applications and case studies forming a coherent narrative across the topics.

1. Introduction and Chromatography
2. Mass Spectrometry
3. XRD and Diffraction Methods
4. NMR in Drug Design

Designing and Making Functional Organic Molecules
This section is split into 4 coherent topics:

1. Pericyclic and cyclisation reactions
2. Reactive intermediates
3. Protecting group chemistry and peptide synthesis
4. Asymmetric reactions and atropisomerism

Catalysis
This section is split into 3 topics:

1. Bio/organocatalysis.
2. Homogenous transition metal catalysis
3. Heterogenous catalysis.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Describe and critically assess a wide range of instrumental techniques and methods relevant to analytical science, inluding data analysis.
• Critically analyse the synthesis of complex known molecules understanding and understand why commercial routes are chosen.
• Suggest suitable catalysts for a given transformation and predict how modifications to a given catalyst will impact productivity, reaction selectivity, and reaction outcome.
• Critically engage with the module content and apply knowledge and understanding of chemistry concepts and methodologies to the solution of practical problems in the context of an industry placement.
• Review the scientific literature and identify an innovative research question designed to supplement and further current knowledge and understanding in a field of their choosing.

Research element

As a part of the assessment for this module students will be required to conduct independent research focused on introduction of an innovation in the laboratory at their workplace.

Interdisciplinary

This module combines aspects of analytical science, synthetic organic chemistry and catalysis in a context of student's own industrial placement experience.

Subject specific skills

Data analysis and interpretation, including data fitting methods and error analysis.
Ability to develop strategies, via retrosynthetic analysis, for the synthesis of functional organic molecules.
Deduce new mechanisms and interpret unseen experimental data related to catalysis problems.
Ability to interpret and evaluate contemporary and frontier directions of chemistry research.

Transferable skills

Communication
Critical Thinking
Digital Literacy
Information Literacy
Problem Solving
Professionalism
Sustainability