Miniproject with Sustainable Advanced Synthesis - CHE00064M
- Department: Chemistry
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: M
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Academic year of delivery: 2025-26
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Module summary
Miniproject
This module builds on MChem-only module Advanced Topics & Practical, developing advanced specialism content of the Chemistry degree programme, and encompassing group work and research-level investigation, to complete students’ preparation for the final year of the MChem programme.
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
This module will address synthetic challenges in advanced organic/inorganic chemistry. It will explore chemical approaches and new technology to meet these challenges. The critical role of sustainability will be emphasised and will include contemporary case studies in the field.
Related modules
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 |
Module aims
Miniproject
Building on prior Year 1-2 Skills & Practical modules, and Year 3 MChem Advanced Topics & Practical, this module develops more advanced skills and knowledge that are relevant to the MChem programme. Specific aims are:
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To develop students’ group working and problem solving skills, as they engage with a research-like experience, conducting unscripted experimental work in the Group Miniprojects
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To develop students’ data organisation and scientific writing skills, as they write a significant report on their Group Miniproject.
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
This module will address advanced synthetic challenges in organic/inorganic chemistry with a focus on mechanism, application and methodology. The module will provide exposure to topics such as sustainable industrial process chemistry and automated approaches in chemistry.
As part of the module students will engage with primary literature detailing the most recent research breakthroughs on a selection of the topics covered.
Module learning outcomes
Miniproject
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Plan and execute experiments as part of a research project
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Write a project report, encompassing experimental results and analysis in comparison with relevant scientific literature
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
The outcomes of this module are:
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To recognise synthetic strategies used across some focused contemporary areas of organic and inorganic chemistry.
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To analyse and interpret experimental data, design and hypotheses used in contemporary literature case studies.
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To assess the limitations in routes to incorporating sustainability in economically viable industrial processes.
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To evaluate the role of automation in synthesis/catalysis and its potential for reaction monitoring.
Module content
Miniproject
This element develops students’ group working and problem solving skills, as they engage with a research-like experience. Students work together in small groups to plan and carry out experiments, over the course of ~8 days, to conduct an investigation. The Group Miniproject concludes with writing and submitting an individual report, based on the group’s findings. Each group’s Miniproject is overseen by an academic, who provides some guidance on the work, and laboratory work is overseen by demonstrators.
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
Catalysis for Green Synthesis (5 lectures, 1 workshop) HFS
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This course will discuss various aspects of metal based and organocatalytic catalysis (including alkene hydrogenation, ketone hydrogenation, Sharpless epoxidation, Jacobsen epoxidation, enamine and iminium organocatalysis) and in particular how the application of some of these types of catalysis can improve the sustainability of routes towards pharmaceuticals.
Use of Automation in Catalytic Processes (5 lectures, 1 workshop) IJSF
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Exploring the use of automated robotic systems to aid with reaction screening and understanding catalyst activation and deactivation pathways, which is important to applied synthetic chemistry.
Advanced Organometallic Synthesis and Applications (5 lectures, 1 workshop) ASW
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The development of atom efficient, energy efficient and critical-resource efficient transition metal catalysis will be discussed; by presenting a number of examples of catalytic processes that showcase each of these. A critical assessment of the benefits of using Earth abundant 3d metals in catalysis over resource-limited 4d and 5d metals will be provided, and students will be encouraged to think about what makes a catalytic process sustainable.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 50 |
| Essay/coursework | 50 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Miniproject execution is non reassessable.
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis:
The 10 credits of option material will be assessed in a closed exam, with candidates permitted to bring four A4 sides of notes.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 50 |
| Essay/coursework | 50 |
Module feedback
Miniproject
As the Miniproject progresses, students will receive formative verbal feedback from their Miniproject supervisor, to help them make progress with the miniproject work. The requirements of different miniprojects will vary; the supervisor will set out a planned schedule of subsequent meetings in the first Miniproject meeting. Students will receive emailed feedback on the submitted project report
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
Exam results with per-question breakdown are returned to the students via supervisors within 5 weeks (as per special approval by the University Teaching Committee).
Outline answers are made available via the Chemistry web pages or VLE when the students receive their marks, so that they can assess their own detailed progress/achievement.
Indicative reading
Miniproject
Dean, Jones, Holmes, Reed, Weyers and Jones, “Practical Skills in Chemistry”
Atkins “Physical Chemistry”
Weller, Overton, Rourke and Armstrong, “Inorganic Chemistry”
Clayden “Organic Chemistry”
Sustainable Advanced Synthesis
This is a research-led course so up-to-date scientific publications will form the majority of the reading