Bioorganic Chemistry
Theory: 3 hours/week | Tutorials: 1hour/week | Practicals: 3 hours/week | ECTS Units: 6
Learning outcomes
The subject of the course is the examination of the properties of simple organic compounds (carbonyl compounds, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, amines) which are involved in biological processes, and of the basic structural units (amino acids, monosaccharides, nucleotides) of the biomolecules of living organisms.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:
- be acquainted with the chemical properties of carbonyl compounds, carboxylic acids and amines,
- understand the acid and base properties of amino acids, peptides and proteins,
- distinguish the different types of carbohydrates and recognize the presence of sugar moieties in complex molecules,
- present the structural differences between the ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides that make up RNA and DNA,
- know the types of lipids and interpret their biological role based on their physicochemical properties.
Syllabus
- ALDHYDES – KETONES: Structure and methods of synthesis. Addition reactions to the carbonyl group. Acidity of alpha-hydrogens: alpha-substitution, aldol-type reactions.
- CARBOXYLIC ACIDS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES: Properties of carboxylic acids, acyl halides, esters and amides. Acyl substitution reactions: esterification, amide bond formation. Rearrangement reactions of amides.
- AMINES: Basicity of amines. Synthesis of aliphatic and aromatic amines.
- CARBOHYDRATES: Mono-, di-, and polysaccharides. Types of monosaccharides and their structure. Chemical reactivity of monosaccharides, glycosidic bonds.
- AMINO ACIDS – PEPTIDES: Acid and base properties of amino acids. Synthesis of amino acids. Peptides and proteins: properties and structure determination.
- NUCLEOTIDES – NUCLEIC ACIDS: Structure and types of nucleotides. N-glycosidic bond and synthesis of nucleotides. Phosphodiester bond and synthesis of nucleic acids.
- LIPIDS: Types and properties of lipids. Triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids and their biological role.
- NATURAL PRODUCTS: Terpenes, alkaloids, phenolic compounds.
Labratory Exercises
- Synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid and methyl salicylate.
- Hydrolysis of methyl benzoate.
- Electrophilic aromatic substitution: nitration and iodination.
- Aldol condensation: synthesis of dibenzalacetone.
- Multi-component reaction: synthesis of dihydropyridines.
Student performance evaluation
Final written exam including short answer questions and problem solving.
Suggested bibliography
- Organic Chemistry, L. G. Wade, 9th edition, Pearson, 2024.
- Organic Chemistry, M. Loudon, J. Parise, 7th edition, W. H. Freeman, 2021.
- Organic Chemistry, John Mc Murry, 9th edition, Cengage Learning, 2015.
- Organic Chemistry, F. A. Carey, 12th edition, McGraw Hill, 2023.
Related scientific journals:
- Journal of Organic Chemistry
- Bioorganic Chemistry
- Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
- Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry
Teaching Material / E-class
Lecturers
Dimitrios Komiotis
(Course Coordinator)
