Details of CH4214 (Spring 2026)

Level: 4 Type: Theory Credits: 4.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
CH4214 Heterocyclic Chemistry and Natural Products Alakesh Bisai,
Sanjio S. Zade

Preamble
Part A: Heterocyclic Chemistry:
General reactivity: five and six membered aromatic heterocycles, n-excessive and n-deficient
heterocycles, bi- and tricyclic (ring-fused) heterocycles, tautomerism in heterocyclic
compounds, metalation and metal-based coupling reactions. (5 Lectures).
Five membered heterocycles: Reactions of pyrrole, furan and thiophene (Paal-Knorr, Knorr,
Trofimov, Hantzsch, Gewald, Barton-Zard, Feist-Benary, Hinsberg, cycloaddition etc.) and
related drugs (ketorolac, tolmetin, clopirac, lipitor, ranitidine, prodigiosin). (7 Lectures)
Six membered heterocycles: Reactions of pyridine, pyridone and pyridine N-oxide. (Hantzsch,
Guareschi, Bohlmann-Rahtz, Boger, enamide and Vilsmeir, cycloaddition), and related drugs
(nifedipine, amlodipine, cerivastatin, ethionamide, fredericamycin, vitamin B 6 ). (3 Lectures)
Benzofused 5-membered heterocycle: Reactions of indole (Fischer, Grandberg, Reissert,
Bischler, Leimgruber-Batcho, Madelung, Bartoli, Nenitzescu, Gassman, Larock) and related
drugs (frovatriptan, almotriptan, rizatriptan, fluvastatin, serotonin etc.). (3 Lectures)
Benzofused 6-membered heterocycle: Reactions of quinoline and isoquinoline (Skarup,
Friedlander, Pfitzinger, Bischler-Napieralski, Pictel-Gams, Pomeranz-Fritsch etc.) and related
drugs (camptothecin, methoxatin, ammosamide, montelukast etc.). (3 Lectures)
Three and four-membered heterocycles: Structure, reactions and synthesis. (2 Lectures)
Part B: Natural Products:
History and Purpose of Synthesis, Milestones in Organic Synthesis, Natural Products and
hybrids that Changed the World (4 Lectures)
Pharmaceutical Applications of Natural products; Vitamin E, Vitamin K etc. anti-cancer drug
Methotrexate, and Taxol (2 Lectures)
Importance of Fatty Acid, Terpenes, Steroids, Polyketides and their synthesis, Prostaglandins,
Phenolics, Anthraquinones (3 Lectures)

Importance and synthetic strategies to Aromatic a-Amino Acids, Lignans, Coumarins,
Flavonoids and Antibiotics (5 Lectures)
Alkaloids: piperidines, indolizidines, quinolizidines, carbazoles, toxins (nicotine, lupinines,
strychnine etc.), drugs (cocaine, opiates, quinine, vincristine etc.) (5 Lectures)

Syllabus
Part A: Heterocyclic Chemistry:
General reactivity: five and six membered aromatic heterocycles, n-excessive and n-deficient
heterocycles, bi- and tricyclic (ring-fused) heterocycles, tautomerism in heterocyclic
compounds, metalation and metal-based coupling reactions. (5 Lectures).
Five membered heterocycles: Reactions of pyrrole, furan and thiophene (Paal-Knorr, Knorr,
Trofimov, Hantzsch, Gewald, Barton-Zard, Feist-Benary, Hinsberg, cycloaddition etc.) and
related drugs (ketorolac, tolmetin, clopirac, lipitor, ranitidine, prodigiosin). (7 Lectures)
Six membered heterocycles: Reactions of pyridine, pyridone and pyridine N-oxide. (Hantzsch,
Guareschi, Bohlmann-Rahtz, Boger, enamide and Vilsmeir, cycloaddition), and related drugs
(nifedipine, amlodipine, cerivastatin, ethionamide, fredericamycin, vitamin B 6 ). (3 Lectures)
Benzofused 5-membered heterocycle: Reactions of indole (Fischer, Grandberg, Reissert,
Bischler, Leimgruber-Batcho, Madelung, Bartoli, Nenitzescu, Gassman, Larock) and related
drugs (frovatriptan, almotriptan, rizatriptan, fluvastatin, serotonin etc.). (3 Lectures)
Benzofused 6-membered heterocycle: Reactions of quinoline and isoquinoline (Skarup,
Friedlander, Pfitzinger, Bischler-Napieralski, Pictel-Gams, Pomeranz-Fritsch etc.) and related
drugs (camptothecin, methoxatin, ammosamide, montelukast etc.). (3 Lectures)
Three and four-membered heterocycles: Structure, reactions and synthesis. (2 Lectures)
Part B: Natural Products:
History and Purpose of Synthesis, Milestones in Organic Synthesis, Natural Products and
hybrids that Changed the World (4 Lectures)
Pharmaceutical Applications of Natural products; Vitamin E, Vitamin K etc. anti-cancer drug
Methotrexate, and Taxol (2 Lectures)
Importance of Fatty Acid, Terpenes, Steroids, Polyketides and their synthesis, Prostaglandins,
Phenolics, Anthraquinones (3 Lectures)

Importance and synthetic strategies to Aromatic a-Amino Acids, Lignans, Coumarins,
Flavonoids and Antibiotics (5 Lectures)
Alkaloids: piperidines, indolizidines, quinolizidines, carbazoles, toxins (nicotine, lupinines,
strychnine etc.), drugs (cocaine, opiates, quinine, vincristine etc.) (5 Lectures)

References
Suggested Books:
(1) Heterocyclic chemistry - J.A. Joule, K. Mills & G.F. Smith.
(2) Comprehensive Heterocyclic Chemistry - A. R. Katritzky and C. W. Rees 69
(3) Heterocyclic Chemistry - T. L. Gilchrist.
(4) The Essence of Heterocyclic Chemistry, New Age International Publications, 2013.
(5) Heterocycles in Natural Product Synthesis by K. C. Majumder and Shital K.
Chattopadhyay
(6) Molecules that Changed the World by K. C. Nicolaou and Tamsyn Montagnon
(WILEY-VCH)
(7) The Way of Synthesis by Thomas Hudlicky and Josephine W. Reed (WILEY-VCH)
(8) Protecting Group Free Organic Synthesis: Improving Economy and Efficiency by
Rodney A. Fernandes (WILEY-VCH)
(9) Classics in Total Synthesis: Targets, Strategies, Methods by K. C. Nicolaou and E. J.
Sorensen (WILEY-VCH)
(10) Classics in Total Synthesis II: More Targets, Strategies, Methods by K. C.
Nicolaou and S. A. Snyder (WILEY-VCH)
(11) Classics in Total Synthesis III: Further Targets, Strategies, Methods by Jason
S. Chen and K. C. Nicolaou (WILEY-VCH)

Course Credit Options

Sl. No.ProgrammeSemester NoCourse Choice
1 IP 2 Not Allowed
2 IP 4 Not Allowed
3 MP 2 Not Allowed
4 MP 4 Elective
5 MR 2 Not Allowed
6 MR 4 Not Allowed
7 MS 10 Not Allowed
8 MS 4 Not Allowed
9 MS 6 Not Allowed
10 MS 8 Elective
11 RS 1 Elective
12 RS 2 Elective