version date: 1 December 2006 EXERC|sEⅢ2 A LABORATORY COURSE IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY INTRODUCING MOLECULAR MODELING Ivone Carvalho*, Monica T Pupo, Aurea D. L. Borges, and Lilian SCBernardes Departmento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de s Paulo, Av. do cafe s/n 14040-903. Ribeirao preto sP. Brazil E-mail: carronal@usp. br Abstract: A laboratory course in medicinal chemistry introducing molecular modeling. Molecular modeling is an important and useful tool in drug design and for predicting biological activity in library compounds. A wide variety of computer programs and methods have been developed to visualize the 3D geometry and to calculate the physicochemical properties of drugs. In this paper, we describe a practical approach to molecular modeling as a powerful tool to study structure-activity relationship in drugs such as antibacterials, hormones, and cholinergic and adrenergic agents. Early in the course, the students learn how to draw 3d structures and to use them to perform conformational and molecular analyses. Thus, they may compare drugs with similar pharmacological activities by superimposing their structures and evaluating geometry and physical properties Keywords: molecular modeling; conformational analysis; structure-activity relationships INTRODUCTION Planning and selecting educational activities in the teaching of medicinal chemistry are ever constant and necessary tasks in adapting program contents to meet the challenges of a world in permanent change. Transformations should direct the course in medicinal chemistry to favor the use of new technological resources and contribute to develop both alternative ways and the students critical thinking. Some methodological strategies should be incorporated into the teaching of medicinal chemistry, thus promoting the teaching- learning processes The classical structure-activity relationship(SAR) studies implied the synthesis of several, structurally related analogs to a lead compound and successive biological activity tests. After decades of SAR research, some general rules on the influence of specific structural changes on biological activity could be drawn, including the size and shape of the carbon chain, the nature and rate of substitution, and stereochemistry of lead compounds SAR and the traditional techniques of molecular modifications are still important tools in <www.iupac.org/publications/cd/medicinalchemistry/>1 EXERCISE III.2 A LABORATORY COURSE IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY INTRODUCING MOLECULAR MODELING Ivone Carvalho*, Mônica T. Pupo, Áurea D. L. Borges, and Lilian S. C. Bernardes Departmento de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de S. Paulo, Av. do café s/n 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil E-mail: carronal@usp.br Abstract: A laboratory course in medicinal chemistry introducing molecular modeling. Molecular modeling is an important and useful tool in drug design and for predicting biological activity in library compounds. A wide variety of computer programs and methods have been developed to visualize the 3D geometry and to calculate the physicochemical properties of drugs. In this paper, we describe a practical approach to molecular modeling as a powerful tool to study structure–activity relationship in drugs such as antibacterials, hormones, and cholinergic and adrenergic agents. Early in the course, the students learn how to draw 3D structures and to use them to perform conformational and molecular analyses. Thus, they may compare drugs with similar pharmacological activities by superimposing their structures and evaluating geometry and physical properties. Keywords: molecular modeling; conformational analysis; structure–activity relationships. INTRODUCTION Planning and selecting educational activities in the teaching of medicinal chemistry are ever constant and necessary tasks in adapting program contents to meet the challenges of a world in permanent change. Transformations should direct the course in medicinal chemistry to favor the use of new technological resources and contribute to develop both alternative ways and the student’s critical thinking. Some methodological strategies should be incorporated into the teaching of medicinal chemistry, thus promoting the teaching￾learning processes.1 The classical structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies implied the synthesis of several, structurally related analogs to a lead compound and successive biological activity tests. After decades of SAR research, some general rules on the influence of specific structural changes on biological activity could be drawn, including the size and shape of the carbon chain, the nature and rate of substitution, and stereochemistry of lead compounds. SAR and the traditional techniques of molecular modifications are still important tools in <www.iupac.org/publications/cd/medicinal_chemistry/> version date: 1 December 2006