Chemistry of Natural Products

Course Description

COURSE CONTENT

• Introduction to natural products
• Isolation, separation and determining the structure of natural products
• Carbohydrates: nomenclature, stereochemistry of carbohydrates, reactions of carbonyl and hydroxyl group of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and   polysaccharides
• Lipids: classification and nomenclature, characteristic reactions and representatives of certain lipid groups
• Biosynthesis of steroids
• Aromatic compounds: classification, chemical structure and biosynthesis, shikimic acid, tannins, coumarins, lignins, aromatic polyketides, flavonoids
• Terpenes and terpenoides: classification, properties, biosynthesis and biological effect of important representatives
• Prostaglandines: basic chemical structure, properties, classification, biosynthesis; role of prostaglandins as their effect in a human organism
• Alkaloids: classification, properties, biosynthesis and biological effect of important representatives
• Pheromones: classification, properties and role in living organisms; function of    fundamental representatives of animal and possible human pheromones

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• distinguish and classify natural products that have a significant role in different branches of biotechnology
• interpret most important properties, basic principles of biosynthesis as a biological effect of secondary metabolites (terpenes and terpenoids, alkaloids, shikimate-lignans, polyphenols, prostaglandins, pheromones and flavonoids) and basic biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids)
• describe methods of isolation and identification of basic biomolecules and secondary metabolites
• according to the given instruction, independently  perform isolations, purifications and identifications of secondary metabolites by applying common laboratory technics