1. Laboratory work. a) Analytical: Basic operations for the purification of organic compounds and the separation of mixtures (recrystallization, distillation, extraction, chromatography). b) Synthetic: Four one-step syntheses.2. Theory. Introduction to IR, and NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Selected chapters of chemistry, covered in depth:1a) Fullerenes and curved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; 1b) hydrogen bonds.2) History of radioactivity and modern radiochemistry.3) Understanding thermodynamics.4a) Direct solid-state analysis; 4b) laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; 4c) quantitative analysis.

Selected chemistry topics, covered in depth:1a) Chirality and other aspects of stereochemistry1b) The origin of biomolecular homochirality2) Chemistry and sustainability.3) Origin of life: The amyloid peptide world hypothesis, compared with the RNA world hypothesis.

An organic-synthetic sub-project of the current research of a group from the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry is carried out under the guidance of doctoral students.

This course will build upon the basic knowledge of structure and reactivity of organic molecules gained in AC/OCI and AC/OCII. The module aims to provide a wide understanding of the occurrence, synthesis, properties, and reactivity of carbonyl compounds.

Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry: molecular structure. Bonding and functional groups; nomenclature; resonance and aromaticity; stereochemistry; conformation; bond strength; organic acids and bases; basic reaction thermodynamics and kinetcs; reactive intermediates: carbanions, carbenium ions and radicals.

This course builds on the material learned in Organic Chemistry I or Organic Chemistry II for Biology/Pharmacy Students. Topics include advanced concepts and mechanisms of organic reactions and introductions to pericyclic and organometallic reactions. The basics or retro- and forward synthesis are also introduced.

The relationship between structure and reactivity of organic molecules is elaborated by studying the mechanisms of fundamental types of organic reactions. A basic synthesis repertoire is acquired.

Principles of molecular recognition: cation/anion complexation and their technological applications; complexation of neutral molecules in aqueous solution; non-covalent interactions involving aromatic rings; hydrogen bonding; molecular sef-assembly - a chemical approach towards nanostructures; thermodynamics and kinetics of complexation processes; synthesis of receptors; template effects.