Module Content (3C)

  • Introduction to secondary metabolism
  • The acetate pathway
  • The shikimate pathway
  • The mevalonate and deoxyxylulose phosphate
  • Pathways
  • Alkaloids
  • Carbohydrates

MOC 5004 : Natural Product Chemistry

Welcome to this course on Natural Product Chemistry. Natural product chemistry is the branch of chemistry which deals with the isolation, identification, structure elucidation and study of the chemical characteristics of chemical substances produced by living organisms.

MOC 5004 : Natural Product Chemistry (45 L) - 3 credits

Introduction to secondary metabolism (04 L)

The building blocks in primary and secondary metabolism, Construction mechanisms in biological systems such as alkylation, Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement, Aldol and Claisen condensations, Schiff base formation, Mannich reaction, Transamination, Decarboxylation, Phenolic oxidative coupling and Glycosidation, Vitamins and cofactors, Elucidation of biosynthetic pathways.

The acetate pathway (05 L)

Saturated fatty acids, Unsaturated fatty acids, Prostaglandins, Thromboxanes, Leukotrienes, Aromatic polyketides, Oxidative cleavage of aromatic rings, Starter groups other than acetate, Macrolides and polyethers, Cyclization through Diels-Alder reactions.

The shikimate pathway (04 L)

Aromatic amino acids and simple benzoic acids, Lignans and lignin, Phenylpropanes, Benzoic acids from C6C3 compounds, Coumarins, Flavonoids and stilbenes, Isoflavonoids, Vitamin K.

The mevalonate and deoxyxylulose phosphate pathways (06 L)

Isoprene repeating unit, Monoterpenes, Essential oils and their importance, Biosynthesis, Important reactions and stereochemical aspects of monoterpenoids, Sesquiterpenoids, Diterpenoids, Sesterterpenoids, Triterpenoids, Carotenoids, Main types of steroids, their stereochemistry and biological functions, Important reactions and synthesis/partial synthesis of steroids.

Alkaloids (06 L)

Chemical structure, Isolation and purification methods, and general methods employed for determining the structure of alkaloids, Biosynthesis of alkaloids derived from ornithine, lysine, nicotinic acid, tyrosine, tryptophan, anthranilic acid, and histidine, Purine alkaloids.

Carbohydrates (05 L)

Configurational relationships, conformational analysis, mutarotation, Reactions of anomeric and non-anomeric carbon atoms, Reactions of the hydroxyl groups, Aminosugars, Reducing and non-reducing sugars, Nature of di-, tri-, and polysacaccharides, Structures of streptomycin, starch, glycogen, cellulose, chitin, pectic substances, carrageenan, glycoproteins and glycolipids.