Robert Burns Woodward (10 April 1917 – 8 July 1979) was an American organic chemist who made significant contributions to the field of synthetic organic chemistry. In 1965, Woodward was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Life and Career
He was born on 10 April 1917 in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1936. He then went on to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at MIT, which he completed in 1941 under the supervision of Professor James Flack Norris. During his graduate studies, Woodward was known for his exceptional talent and innovative approaches to chemical synthesis.
After completing his Ph.D., Woodward worked as a research associate at Harvard University, where he collaborated with Professor Louis Fieser and continued to make significant contributions to the field of synthetic organic chemistry. He was later appointed as an instructor and then a professor at Harvard, where he remained for the rest of his career.
In 1944, Woodward and his team at Harvard completed the first total synthesis of quinine, an alkaloid used to treat malaria. This breakthrough demonstrated the power of synthetic organic chemistry and helped pave the way for the synthesis of other complex natural products.
In 1965, Woodward and his colleague Roald Hoffmann published a set of rules that predicted the stereochemistry of pericyclic reactions, which are a class of chemical reactions that involve the rearrangement of electrons. These rules are now widely used by chemists to predict the outcomes of pericyclic reactions.
In the 1970s, Woodward and his team completed the total synthesis of vitamin B12, a complex molecule with important biological functions. The synthesis involved more than 100 steps and demonstrated Woodward’s mastery of complex chemical transformations.
He also developed a set of rules that predict the outcome of ring-closing reactions, which are important in the synthesis of cyclic organic molecules. These rules have been widely used by chemists to guide the design of synthetic routes for complex molecules.
He died on 8 July 1979 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Overall, Woodward’s work had a profound impact on the field of synthetic organic chemistry, and his innovative approaches to chemical synthesis continue to inspire chemists today.
Award
In 1965, Woodward was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with his colleague, Konrad Bloch, for their work on the biosynthesis of cholesterol and other lipids.
Woodward also received numerous other awards and honors throughout his career, including the National Medal of Science in 1964.
21 January: Remembering Konrad Emil Bloch on his Birth Anniversary