CHE2DEV
Developments in Chemistry
(20 credit points, second semester)Coordinator: Prof Robert Brownlee and Dr Ian Potter
Students have a flexible choice in the lecture content of this subject and choose three lecture components from the following topics. These are determined by each student on the basis of interest and other second-year subjects being taken.
- Analytical Chemistry (13 lectures)
Electrochemical instrumental techniques are important in the analysis of trace levels of toxic metals such as cadmium and lead, inorganic species such as fluoride and ammonia, and certain organic compounds in contaminated aqueous samples. This lecture component deals with some of these techniques. Techniques to be discussed include methods of standard addition, voltammetry and polarography, anodic stripping voltammetry, potentiometric stripping analysis and ion-selective electrodes.
Textbook: Harris, D. C. "Quantitative Chemical Analysis", 7th edn, Freeman, 2007.
- Biological and Bioanalytical Chemistry (13 lectures)
Chemistry plays a vital role in biological systems from trace metals to large organic molecules. This component explores the interface between chemistry and biology. Topics to be studied include bulk, trace and ultra-trace elements "in vivo", complexation of metal ions by various ligands, chelation, preferred sites for metals, Na-K ion "pump", metal poisoning, chelation therapy, metal compounds in medicine and "in vivo", cis-platin-type antitumor agents, gold complexes, Fe sequestration, high/low-spin cycle for Fe(II) in hemoglobin, natural redox systems, vitamin B12, ferredoxins. Proteins and polypeptides in biological systems are made of amino acids linked into a long chain. Chemically the link is an amide bond. This component will discuss the features of this amide bond through topics such as biomolecules, amino acids, peptides, proteins, structure of amino acids, dipolar structure, isoelectric point, synthesis of a-amino acids, covalent bonding in peptides, peptide synthesis, solid phase peptide synthesis, protein structure, H-bonds, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobicity, Van der Waals interactions, hydrolysis of amide bonds by chemical and biological methods.
Textbooks: McMurry, J., "Organic Chemistry", 7th edn, Thomson-Brooks/Cole, 2008.
Rayner-Canham, G. W., "Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry", 2nd edn, Freeman, 2000.
References: Fenton, D. E., "Biocoordination Chemistry", Oxford University primers, 1995.
Rodgers, G. E., "Descriptive Inorganic, Coordination and Solid-State Chemistry", 2nd edn, Thomson-Brooks/Cole, 2002.
- Carbonyl Chemistry (13 lectures)
Many biochemical reactions, though they may occur in complex molecules, are governed by transformations of organic functional groups. One of the most important is the carbonyl group, which comes in many forms. This component will cover the chemistry of some organic compounds containing this fundamental group, for example, nucleophilic addition reactions to aldehydes and ketones, carbanions and condensations, carboxylic acids and derivatives. Applications to biochemical processes will be included.
Textbook: McMurry, J., "Organic Chemistry", 7th edn, Thomson-Brooks/Cole, 2008.
- Medicinal Chemistry (13 lectures)
In this topic, the fundamental concepts of the field of medicinal chemistry will be introduced. This will include the definition and classifications of drugs, the historical perspectives of drug discovery and the role of the medicinal chemist today. The emphasis of this topic will be on the four main molecular targets of drugs – lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins (particularly enzymes and receptors). The structure and function of these targets, the types of drugs and how they interact with their corresponding targets will be discussed, including the role of antagonists, agonists and allosteric enhancers. Examples of relevant drugs will be used as appropriate.
Textbook: Patrick, G., "Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry”, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Nanochemistry (13 lectures)
Topics will include: colloids, nanoparticles, quantum dots, dendrimers; self-assembled monolayers and structures; bucky balls and nanotubes; supramolecular chemistry; drug-delivery systems, coatings and molecular electronics.
Textbook: Beer, P. D., Gale, P. A. and Smith, D. K., "Supermolecular Chemistry", Oxford, 1999.
- Water Quality (13 lectures)
This lecture component covers key measurements of water quality made in the field, pretreatment of collected samples before analysis, and some spectroscopic and separation analytical chemistry techniques for metallic species and organic pollutants in natural and wastewater samples. Topics will include BOD, COD, sources of physical, chemical and biological impurities, solvent extraction of organics and metals, analytical methods for trace metals and trace organics in waters, preconcentration, chromatographic methods, methods of presentation of water quality data, water and wastewater treatment procedures.
Textbook: Harris, D. C. "Quantitative Chemical Analysis", 7th edn, Freeman, 2007.
Incompatible unit: CHE2MEC.
Class requirements: Three 1-hour lectures per week, one 4-hour practical (compulsory) per week and tutorials as required.
Assessment: Written exam papers as required. Three 1.5-hour examinations (80%) and continuous assessment of practical laboratory (compulsory) performance (20%).