Oxidation, Reduction & C-C Bond Formation Course | Organic Synthesis Guide
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 74 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Core |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Chemistry |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 24 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Essentials of Oxidation, Reduction and C-C Bond Formation: A Masterclass in Organic Synthesis
Organic synthesis is the cornerstone of modern chemistry, driving innovation in pharmaceuticals, materials science, and biotechnology. At its heart lie three fundamental pillars: oxidation, reduction, and carbon-carbon (C-C) bond formation. Mastering these transformations is essential for any chemist aiming to construct complex molecules with precision and efficiency.
This detailed blog explores a comprehensive 12-week postgraduate course designed and delivered by a stalwart of Indian chemical education, Prof. Yashwant D Vankar. The course demystifies advanced synthetic methodologies, emphasizing selectivity, mechanism, and real-world application.
Meet the Instructor: Prof. Yashwant D Vankar
Learning from an experienced guide is invaluable. This course is taught by Prof. Yashwant D Vankar, an Emeritus Professor at IISER Thiruvananthapuram and a former Professor at IIT Kanpur with over 37 years of teaching experience.
- Award-Winning Educator: Recipient of the Distinguished Teacher's Award from IIT Kanpur (2015) with a consistent record of teaching excellence.
- Proven Research Leader: Guided 41 PhDs, published ~180 papers, and secured numerous funded projects from agencies like DST and CSIR.
- Student-Centric Approach: Known for his clear pedagogy, he aims to make advanced organic chemistry accessible and beneficial for a wide audience through this NPTEL offering.
Course Overview: What Will You Learn?
This is not a basic survey course. It is a deep dive into modern and essential methods, with a constant focus on the critical aspects that separate a good synthesis from a great one.
The core learning objectives are structured around the three pillars:
- Mastering Oxidation: Moving beyond simple reagents to understand chemoselective, regioselective, and stereoselective oxidations using tools like hypervalent iodine, transition metals, and chiral oxidants.
- Mastering Reduction: Learning to control the reduction of functional groups with precision using reagents like hydrides, dissolving metals, and cutting-edge asymmetric catalysts.
- Mastering C-C Bond Formation: Building the molecular skeleton using carbanions, enolates, and organometallic reagents, with a strong emphasis on asymmetric induction using chiral auxiliaries and catalysts.
Key Themes Addressed Throughout:
- Selectivity (Regio-, Chemo-, Stereo-)
- Mechanistic Understanding
- Stereochemical Outcomes
- Practical Applications in Synthesis
Detailed 12-Week Course Layout
The course is meticulously planned to build knowledge progressively. Here is a module-wise breakdown:
| Week | Key Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3: Advanced Oxidation Methods | Swern, Dess-Martin/IBX, hypervalent iodine, transition metal (Ru, Ag) oxidations, Tamao-Fleming, DMDO, and oxidations at unfunctionalized carbons. |
| Weeks 4-5: Advanced Reduction Methods | Hydride reagents (Luche, Selectrides, DIBAL), dissolving metal reductions, microbial reductions, and reductions using silanes. |
| Weeks 6-7: Asymmetric Oxidation & Reduction | Sharpless & Jacobsen-Katsuki epoxidation, Asymmetric Dihydroxylation (AD), Corey's oxazaborolidines, Noyori hydrogenation, and BINAP catalysis. |
| Weeks 8-10: C-C Bond Formation Strategies | Reactions of carbanions, boron/silicon enolates, imines, Simmons-Smith reaction, and use of allyl metals (B, Si, Sn). |
| Weeks 8-10 (Contd.): Asymmetric C-C Bond Formation | Chiral auxiliaries: SAMP/RAMP, Oppolzer's sultam, and Evans' oxazolidinone. |
| Weeks 11-12: Application in Total Synthesis | Culminating in the synthesis of selected natural products, integrating all learned methods of oxidation, reduction, and C-C bond formation. |
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is designed for a serious audience aiming to excel in organic chemistry.
- MSc Students: An invaluable resource for deepening knowledge and preparing for competitive exams like NET, GATE, and GRE/AGRE.
- PhD Scholars & Researchers: To gain a robust foundation in modern synthetic methods and their mechanistic underpinnings.
- Industrial Chemists: Professionals in pharma, agrochemical, and fine chemical industries (e.g., Dr. Reddy’s, Syngene, Syngenta) will find direct applications for the selective reactions covered.
Prerequisite: A solid understanding of B.Sc.-level Organic Chemistry is required.
Recommended Textbooks & Resources
Prof. Vankar supplements the lectures with references to seminal texts, ensuring a holistic learning experience:
- Organic Synthesis by M.B. Smith
- Modern Synthetic Methods by W. Carruthers
- Classics in Total Synthesis by K. C. Nicolaou
- Organic Mechanisms by R. Bruckner
- The Way of Synthesis by T. Hudlicky and J. W. Reed
- Key reviews and papers from standard journals.
Conclusion: Why This Course is Essential
The Essentials of Oxidation, Reduction and C-C Bond Formation course is more than a series of lectures; it's a structured journey through the toolkit of a modern synthetic organic chemist. Taught by a master educator with decades of experience, it bridges the gap between textbook knowledge and the practical, selective reactions used in cutting-edge research and industry today.
Whether your goal is to ace competitive exams, advance your research, or enhance your industrial R&D skills, this course provides the conceptual clarity and practical knowledge to achieve it. By focusing on selectivity, mechanism, and application, it empowers you to not just perform reactions, but to design intelligent synthetic strategies.
Explore this NPTEL course to build an unshakable foundation in the core transformations that power the science of molecule building.
Enroll Now →