This course will focus on the chemistry behind the pharmaceutical industry and in particular the current drive towards homochiral or optically pure drugs - the sale of which is worth in excess of US$100 billion per annum (approximately 32% of the total drug sales worldwide). Invariably their synthesis is completely reliant on the availability of key optically pure precursors that are obtained via a range of strategies including isolation from natural sources, resolution or separation of a mixture of optical isomers and the cutting edge technological approach of asymmetric catalysis. The course will comprise 6 modules,  of which students must complete five. Three of the modules (each consisting of the equivalent of twelve lectures and three tutorials) are compulsory:

• Module 1 - Introduction to Chirality
• Module 2 - Source and Strategies for the Formation of Chiral Compounds
• Module 3 - Identification and Characterization of Chiral Drugs

The elective modules (the equivalent of six lectures and two tutorials) are:

• Asymmetric catalysis
• Synthesis of blockbuster drugs
• Biological aspects of homochiral drugs

Note: This course is delivered online.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. recognise chiral molecules and assign appropriate descriptors to stereochemically active compounds
2. explain and rationalise synthetic routes to, and methods of identification and characterisation of, chiral drugs
3. explain and rationalise the key steps in asymmetric catalytic reactions leading to the syntheses of chiral drugs

Online assesments (100%; LO 1, 2, 3)

Bachelor degree; Science degree or Bachelor of Education with science teaching experience

This course forms part of the Master of Contemporary Science. Science degree or Bachelor of Education with science teaching training is required.