CHM 318: Heterocyclic Chemistry – Course Summary

This course introduces the chemistry of heterocyclic compounds, which are cyclic organic molecules containing heteroatoms such as nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. Students will study the nomenclature, classification, structure, aromaticity, synthesis, properties, and reactions of important heterocyclic systems, including pyrrole, furan, thiophene, pyridine, and fused-ring heterocycles.

The course also examines the applications of heterocyclic compounds in pharmaceuticals, natural products, agrochemicals, and materials science. Upon completion, students will be able to understand the reactivity of heterocycles, predict reaction mechanisms, and appreciate their significance in medicinal and industrial chemistry.

Throughout this course, students will examine the structure, aromaticity, and reactivity of major heterocyclic systems, including three-, four-, five-, six-, and fused-membered heterocycles. Emphasis will be placed on important compounds such as pyrrole, furan, thiophene, pyridine, pyrimidine, quinoline, isoquinoline, indole, and related ring systems. The mechanisms of electrophilic and nucleophilic substitution reactions, ring formation strategies, and synthetic methodologies for heterocycle construction will also be explored.