DOCSLIB.ORG

Dream English Dec 2010.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dream English Dec 2010.Pdf Editorial Framework for science news he media, both print and electronic, warming’ and take an alarmist view on Tplay an important role in opinion these phenomena. The features generally formation. As in politics so also in establish clear connections between science related matters, the ideological science, policy and public interest. ‘The E-mail: [email protected] slant of the management is reflected thinning of ozone layer’ and ‘climate in features, editorials and also in news change’ are discussed in similar frames. channels and serious print formats that stories. Enlightened viewers and readers, These tend to seek answers to questions have high credibility and are committed it is blithely hoped, are aware of this and like what the public needs to know about to reach audience with issues that help use correctional filters to absorb the key climate change. development debates. The challenge is to issues. Is there a model that can be adopted impress this public with well-presented Recent weeks have witnessed for increased public understanding of stories that meet their practical and analytical features on the Indo-US issues in science and development like strategic needs. Communicators must technological deals with stress varying from climate change? How can we have a more contribute with balanced reporting on ‘the changing geo-political equations in the informed public that can influence policy? complex matters and reduce the ideological subcontinent and the increasing strategic What have we learnt from media coverage bias consciously. importance of India’ to the ‘gains likely to of complex developmental issues like Will more science matters in the the industrial military complex in the US climate change? media increase its public understanding? because of the opening of opportunities The space for discussion on science, How can communicators address the in India.’ The impact on Indian economy, technology and development is limited enormity of development debates through say ‘better availability of electrical power and not likely to increase dramatically a short news story? Is there a limit beyond and its impact on industry’ does not find in the mass media. The civil research which the outreach effort will become adequate space in the discussions. establishments (agriculture, medical, propaganda? Will newsmakers be willing The common man is more likely industrial, etc.) do not have clear to cooperate with the reporters in this to become engaged in a story if it appeals mechanisms of interfacing with journalists effort? What should be a good period to to a broader public interest. This is more and communicators. News is characterised review and revise the strategy? so if the story has a straight forward and by timeliness and accuracy both requiring The building blocks for better consistent narrative. The review of pulse a shift in priorities of the laboratories in understanding of science and clearer polio campaign in view of fresh reports the public sector and the universities. opinions are in science news and features of polio cases finds prominence in some One could argue that people are in the mass media. The next few weeks national newspapers. Most stories, indiscriminating in their understanding of will witness an initiative on television that however, do not carry reflections of issues and their impacts. Opinion leaders takes this issue further with a regular news scientists and deal with the contents rather are confused about priorities and strategies. telecast. There can be exciting spin-offs by superficially. The approach of ‘science Consumerism is a subtle but powerful integrating the effort with other channels report for the sake of science’ is not likely driver for many decisions and therefore provided by ICT. The question on how to retain attention of the audience. a convenient punching bag. Is absence of this is likely to contribute to public debates Let us review the news channels in scientific understanding deliberate and meaningfully can then be considered for many European nations. They frequently comfortable? Is it not important enough? answering. dwell on ‘climate change’ and ‘global There are notable radio and television o Anuj Sinha Editor : Er Anuj Sinha Vigyan Prasar is not responsible for the statements and opinions Address for Vigyan Prasar, C-24, expressed by the authors in their articles/write-ups published in correspondence : Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 “Dream 2047” Tel : 011-26967532; Fax : 0120-2404437 Articles, excerpts from articles published in “Dream 2047” may e-mail : [email protected] be freely reproduced with due acknowledgement/credit, provided website : http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in periodicals in which they are reproduced are distributed free. Published and Printed by Dr. Subodh Mahanti on behalf of Vigyan Prasar, C-24, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 and Printed at Aravali Printers & Publishers Pvt. Ltd., W-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 020. Ph. : 011-26388830-32 Editor: Er Anuj Sinha 39 Dream 2047, December 2010, Vol. 13 No. 3 Robert Burns Woodward The greatest deviser of organic syntheses “Woodward’s career was marked throughout by brilliance. He went to the Massachusetts Subodh Mahanti Institute of Technology when he was only 16, was ‘sent down’ for a year for ‘inattention to E-mail: [email protected] formal studies’ but nevertheless emerged with his PhD at 20. Soon he moved to Harvard, and remained there. He did major work in most areas of organic chemistry, but his most in organic synthesis. He made synthesis of striking work was in the synthesis of complex natural products.” complex organic molecules a commonplace The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists (2nd Edition), 2003 practice, which was earlier thought to be impossible. Woodward once wrote: “The “In 1944 Woodward, with William von Eggerts Doering synthesised quinine from the structure known, but not yet accessible basic elements. This was a historic moment for it was the quinine molecule that William by synthesis, is to the chemist what the Perkin had, first prematurely, attempted to synthesise in 1885.” unclimbed mountain, the uncharted sea, A Dictionary of Scientists, Oxford University Press, 1999 the untilled field, the unreached planet, are “Woodward’s research productivity was remarkable, a result both of the intensity of his to other men.” In 1965, Woodward was work habits and his extraordinary skills. His memory of the details of the chemical literature awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for was legendary and he quickly mastered every innovation in his field. In particular, he led his “collective contributions to the art of in understanding the possibilities of new instruments of the organic chemical laboratory organic synthesis.” in the 1930s and 1940s: infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, mass spectrometers and Woodward’s contribution was not nuclear magnetic resonance.” confined to synthesis of natural products alone. His work in structure determination Alan J. Rocke in The Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science (2003) was equally path-breaking. He solved several important structural puzzles. Among the obert Burns Woodward is regarded natural products the structures of which Ras the pre-eminent organic chemist were elucidated by Woodward and his group of the twentieth century. His knowledge of were penicillin (1945), patulin (1948), organic chemistry was unsurpassed. He had strychnine (1947), oxytetracycline (1952), mastered the skill of creating complex natural cevine (1954), carbomycin (1956), gliotoxin organic molecules in the laboratory from the (1958), ellipticine (1958), calycanthine simplest possible starting materials. It was (1960), oleandomycin (1960), streptonigrin no ordinary skill. As Alan J. Rocke wrote: (1963), and tetrodoxin (1964). Woodward’s “Successful natural product synthesis requires determination of the structure of a combination of rigorous thinking, ingenuity magnamycin revealed a previously unknown of approach and method, a high level of skill family of natural products of macrolide in laboratory manipulations, and an almost antibiotics. Woodward jointly with Geoffrey intuitive sensibility for how molecules can and Wilkinson proposed a structure for ferrocene, will combine.” Among the most important an organic compound incorporating iron molecules synthesised by Woodward and atom. This was the beginning of the field his group were cholesterol (1951), cortisone of organometallic chemistry, a field which (1951), strychnine (1954), LSD or lysergic has grown into an important industry. acid diethylamide (1954), reserpine (1956), Wilkinson got the Nobel Prize in 1973 for chlorophyll (1960), cephalosporin C (1966), his work on ferrocene. Many thought that Robert Burns Woodward and vitamin B12 (1971). Woodward should have shared the Prize with Woodward was a pioneer in case in Woodward’s time. Wilkinson. Woodward himself thought so. stereospecific synthesis; that is, synthesis Each of his synthetic work was Woodward and Roald Hoffmann of a particular configuration of a molecule marked by the elegance and ingenuity of introduced the principle of conservation in three-dimensional space. Stereospecific the process. He could make a valuable and of orbital symmetry which proved to be synthesis acquires special importance because highly complicated product from simple a major theoretical advance and provided of the fact that most natural products of starting materials using a large number of a deep
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Geoffrey Wilkinson
    THE LONG SEARCH FOR STABLE TRANSITION METAL ALKYLS Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1973 by G EOFFREY W ILKINSON Imperial College of Science & Technology, London, England Chemical compounds in which there is a single bond between a saturated car- bon atom and a transition metal atom are of unusual importance. Quite aside from the significance and role in Nature of the cobalt to carbon bonds in the vitamin B 12 system and possible metal to carbon bonds in other biological systems, we need only consider that during the time taken to deliver this lec- ture, many thousands, if not tens of thousands of tons of chemical compounds are being transformed or synthesised industrially in processes which at some stage involve a transition metal to carbon bond. The nonchemist will pro- bably be most familiar with polyethylene or polypropylene in the form of do- mestic utensils, packaging materials, children’s toys and so on. These materials are made by Ziegler-Natta* or Philipps’ catalysis using titanium and chro- mium respectively. However, transition metal compounds are used as catalysts in the synthesis of synthetic rubbers and other polymers, and of a variety of simple compounds used as industrial solvents or intermediates. For example alcohols are made from olefins, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by use of cobalt or rhodium catalysts, acetic acid is made by carbonylation of methanol using rhodium catalysts and acrylonitrile is dimerised to adiponitrile (for nylon) by nickel catalysts. We should also not forget that the huge quantities of petroleum hydrocarbons processed by the oil and petrochemical industry are re-formed over platinum, platinum-rhenium or platinum-germanium sup- ported on alumina.
    [Show full text]
  • Śląscy Nobliści: Otto Stern Kurt Alder Friedrich Bergius Śląscy Nobliści: Otto Stern, Kurt Alder, Friedrich Bergius Otto Stern ● Ur
    Śląscy nobliści: Otto Stern, Kurt Alder, Friedrich Bergius Śląscy nobliści: Otto Stern Kurt Alder Friedrich Bergius Śląscy nobliści: Otto Stern, Kurt Alder, Friedrich Bergius Otto Stern ● ur. 17 lutego 1888 r. w Żorach ● zm. 17 sierpnia 1969 r.w Berkeley w stanie Kalifornia ● niemiecki fizyk ● wnuk bogatego kupca żydowskiego, właściciela żorskiego młyna ● w 1982 r. przeniósł się z rodziną do Wrocławia ● w 1912 r. uzyskał tytuł doktora chemii fizycznej na Uniwersytecie Wrocławskim ● podążając za Albertem Einsteinem, udał się na Uniwersytet Karola w Pradze, a rok później na Politechnikę w Zurychu ● tytuł doktora chemii fizycznej na Uniwersytecie Wrocławskim w roku 1912 r. ● jego rozprawa doktorska dotyczyła ciśnienia osmotycznego dwutlenku węgla w stężonych roztworach. Miała charakter zarówno praktyczny, jak też i teoretyczny. ● sam siebie określił jako „teoretyka doświadczalnego” Śląscy nobliści: Otto Stern, Kurt Alder, Friedrich Bergius ● w czasie I wojny światowej służył w różnych jednostkach technicznych armii pruskiej ● po klęsce Cesarstwa Niemieckiego przeniósł się do Frankfurtu ● w 1921 r. otrzymał stanowisko profesora fizyki teoretycznej na Uniwersytecie w Rostocku ● w 1923 r. objął stanowisko dyrektora w nowo powstałym Instytucie Chemii Fizycznej na Uniwersytecie w Hamburgu ● w 1922 r.wraz z Walterem Gerlachem przeprowadził eksperyment zwany „doświadczeniem Sterna-Gerlacha”, dzięki któremu doświadczalnie udowodnili kwantowanie momentu pędu, przyczynił się do rozwoju młodej fizyki kwantowej ● w 1933 r., ze względu na częściowe korzenie żydowskie, wyemigrował do USA ● do 1945 r. był profesorem na Carnegie Institute of Technology w Pittsburgu. Tam przystąpił do budowy laboratorium molekularnego ● 1943 r. przyniósł Sternowi Nobla z fizyki W uznaniu jego wkładu w rozwój metody wiązki molekularnej i jego odkrycia momentu magnetycznego protonu.
    [Show full text]
  • Chemists Suggest a New Way to Synthesize Steroid Analogs 15 November 2017
    Chemists suggest a new way to synthesize steroid analogs 15 November 2017 tandem cascade of reactions—the reactions proceed successively in the same flask under the same reaction conditions: acylation of the nitrogen atom of the starting 3-thienylallylamine with maleic anhydride, the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction and subsequent aromatization of the cycloaddition adduct," says Fedor Zubkov, assistant professor of the Department of Organic Chemistry at the RUDN University. Diene synthesis (or the Diels-Alder reaction) is one of the most popular reactions in organic chemistry. It involves synchronous formation of two sigma- double bonds from one double bond of dienophile Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction discussed in the and two double bonds of diene; the main product is research. Credit: Fedor Zubkov a six-membered ring with one double bond. Otto Diels and Kurt Alder received the Nobel Prize in 1950 for this reaction. Another Nobel laureate, Robert Woodward, was inspired and bound his life Scientists from RUDN University and the Ivan with chemistry after reading about Diels-Alder's Franko National University of Lviv have found a reaction. Later, he returned to it in his studies way to produce aromatic rings in organic several times. Curiously enough, it was Robert compounds in three stages. These stages proceed Woodward who founded the Tetrahedron Letters successively in one-pot conditions and at room journal, which published this paper by Russian temperature. Now analogues of hormones, scientists. steroids, some sugars, terpenes and other complex organic substances can be synthesized The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction runs inside faster and at softer conditions. The paper was one molecule.
    [Show full text]
  • Synthesis of Substituted Ring- Fused 2-Pyridones and Applications in Chemical Biology
    Synthesis of Substituted Ring- Fused 2-Pyridones and Applications in Chemical Biology Christoffer Bengtsson Doctoral thesis Department of Chemistry Umeå University Umeå, Sweden 2013 Copyright © Christoffer Bengtsson 2013 ISBN: 978-91-7459-552-9 Electronic version available at http://umu.diva-portal.org/ Printed by: VMC-KBC, Umeå University Umeå, Sweden 2013 Author Christoffer Bengtsson Title Synthesis of Substituted Ring-Fused 2-Pyridones and Applications in Chemical Biology Abstract Antibiotics have been extensively used to treat bacterial infections since Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin 1928. Disease causing microbes that have become resistant to antibiotic drug therapy are an increasing public health problem. According to the world health organization (WHO) there are about 440 000 new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis emerging annually, causing at least 150 000 deaths. Consequently there is an immense need to develop new types of compounds with new modes of action for the treatment of bacterial infections. Presented herein is a class of antibacterial ring-fused 2- pyridones, which exhibit inhibitory effects against both the pili assembly system in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), named the chaperone usher pathway, as well as polymerization of the major curli subunit protein CsgA, into a functional amyloid fibre. A pilus is an organelle that is vital for the bacteria to adhere to and infect host cells, as well as establish biofilms. Inhibition of the chaperone usher pathway disables the pili assembly machinery, and consequently renders the bacteria avirulent. The focus of this work has been to develop synthetic strategies to more efficiently alter the substitution pattern of the aforementioned ring- fused 2-pyridones.
    [Show full text]
  • Robert Burns Woodward
    The Life and Achievements of Robert Burns Woodward Long Literature Seminar July 13, 2009 Erika A. Crane “The structure known, but not yet accessible by synthesis, is to the chemist what the unclimbed mountain, the uncharted sea, the untilled field, the unreached planet, are to other men. The achievement of the objective in itself cannot but thrill all chemists, who even before they know the details of the journey can apprehend from their own experience the joys and elations, the disappointments and false hopes, the obstacles overcome, the frustrations subdued, which they experienced who traversed a road to the goal. The unique challenge which chemical synthesis provides for the creative imagination and the skilled hand ensures that it will endure as long as men write books, paint pictures, and fashion things which are beautiful, or practical, or both.” “Art and Science in the Synthesis of Organic Compounds: Retrospect and Prospect,” in Pointers and Pathways in Research (Bombay:CIBA of India, 1963). Robert Burns Woodward • Graduated from MIT with his Ph.D. in chemistry at the age of 20 Woodward taught by example and captivated • A tenured professor at Harvard by the age of 29 the young... “Woodward largely taught principles and values. He showed us by • Published 196 papers before his death at age example and precept that if anything is worth 62 doing, it should be done intelligently, intensely • Received 24 honorary degrees and passionately.” • Received 26 medals & awards including the -Daniel Kemp National Medal of Science in 1964, the Nobel Prize in 1965, and he was one of the first recipients of the Arthur C.
    [Show full text]
  • Los Premios Nobel De Química
    Los premios Nobel de Química MATERIAL RECOPILADO POR: DULCE MARÍA DE ANDRÉS CABRERIZO Los premios Nobel de Química El campo de la Química que más premios ha recibido es el de la Quí- mica Orgánica. Frederick Sanger es el único laurea- do que ganó el premio en dos oca- siones, en 1958 y 1980. Otros dos también ganaron premios Nobel en otros campos: Marie Curie (física en El Premio Nobel de Química es entregado anual- 1903, química en 1911) y Linus Carl mente por la Academia Sueca a científicos que so- bresalen por sus contribuciones en el campo de la Pauling (química en 1954, paz en Física. 1962). Seis mujeres han ganado el Es uno de los cinco premios Nobel establecidos en premio: Marie Curie, Irène Joliot- el testamento de Alfred Nobel, en 1895, y que son dados a todos aquellos individuos que realizan Curie (1935), Dorothy Crowfoot Ho- contribuciones notables en la Química, la Física, la dgkin (1964), Ada Yonath (2009) y Literatura, la Paz y la Fisiología o Medicina. Emmanuelle Charpentier y Jennifer Según el testamento de Nobel, este reconocimien- to es administrado directamente por la Fundación Doudna (2020) Nobel y concedido por un comité conformado por Ha habido ocho años en los que no cinco miembros que son elegidos por la Real Aca- demia Sueca de las Ciencias. se entregó el premio Nobel de Quí- El primer Premio Nobel de Química fue otorgado mica, en algunas ocasiones por de- en 1901 al holandés Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff. clararse desierto y en otras por la Cada destinatario recibe una medalla, un diploma y situación de guerra mundial y el exi- un premio económico que ha variado a lo largo de los años.
    [Show full text]
  • A Nobel Synthesis
    MILESTONES IN CHEMISTRY Ian Grayson A nobel synthesis IAN GRAYSON Evonik Degussa GmbH, Rodenbacher Chaussee 4, Hanau-Wolfgang, 63457, Germany he first Nobel Prize for chemistry was because it is a scientific challenge, as he awarded in 1901 (to Jacobus van’t Hoff). described in his Nobel lecture: “The synthesis T Up to 2010, the chemistry prize has been of brazilin would have no industrial value; awarded 102 times, to 160 laureates, of whom its biological importance is problematical, only four have been women (1). The most but it is worth while to attempt it for the prominent area for awarding the Nobel Prize sufficient reason that we have no idea how for chemistry has been in organic chemistry, in to accomplish the task” (4). which the Nobel committee includes natural Continuing the list of Nobel Laureates in products, synthesis, catalysis, and polymers. organic synthesis we arrive next at R. B. This amounts to 24 of the prizes. Reading the Woodward. Considered by many the greatest achievements of the earlier organic chemists organic chemist of the 20th century, he who were recipients of the prize, we see that devised syntheses of numerous natural they were drawn to synthesis by the structural Alfred Nobel, 1833-1896 products, including lysergic acid, quinine, analysis and characterisation of natural cortisone and strychnine (Figure 1). 6 compounds. In order to prove the structure conclusively, some In collaboration with Albert Eschenmoser, he achieved the synthesis, even if only a partial synthesis, had to be attempted. It is synthesis of vitamin B12, a mammoth task involving nearly 100 impressive to read of some of the structures which were deduced students and post-docs over many years.
    [Show full text]
  • Cv Mlhg 2015
    CURRICULUM VITAE Name: GREEN, Malcolm Leslie Hodder Address: St Catherine's College, Oxford or Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory South Parks Road OXFORD, OX1 3QR Date of Birth: 16/4/36, Eastleigh, Hampshire Nationality: British Marital Status: Married. Three children Degrees: B.Sc.(Hons), London; D.I.C., M.A.(Cantab), M.A.(Oxon), C.Chem., F.R.S.C., Ph.D., F.R.S. ACADEMIC CAREER 1953-56 Acton Technical College, University of London, B.Sc Hons. Chemistry 1956-59 Imperial College of Science and Technology, London; D.I.C. Ph.D. in chemistry. Supervisor Professor Sir G. Wilkinson 1959-60 Post-doctoral Research Associates Fellow. Imperial College of Science and Technology 1960-63 Assistant Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Cambridge University 1961 Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 1963 Sepcentenary Fellow of Inorganic Chemistry, Balliol College, Oxford and Departmental Demonstrator, University of Oxford 1965 University Lecturer, University of Oxford 1971 Visiting Professor, University of Western Ontario (Spring Term) 1972 Visiting Professor, Ecole de Chimie and Institute des Substances Naturelles, Paris (six months) 1973 A.P. Sloan Visiting Professor, Harvard University, (Spring Semester) 1979-84 Appointed to the British Gas Royal Society Senior Research Fellowship 1981 Sherman Fairchild Visiting Scholar at the California Institute of Technology(4 months) 1984 Re-appointed British Gas Royal Society Senior Research Fellow (1984-6) 1987 Vice-master, Balliol College, Oxford (T.T.) 1989 Appointed Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Head of Department, Oxford University Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford 2004- present Emeritus Research Professor in the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College and St Catherine’s College Publications Two text books, 646 refereed papers and 8 patents.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines and Suggested Title List for Undergraduate Chemistry Libraries, Serial Publication Number 44
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 040 037 SE 008 009 AUTHOR Marquardt, D. N., Ed. TITLE Guidelines and Suggested Title List for Undergraduate Chemistry Libraries, Serial Publication Number 44. INSTITUTION Advisory Council on Coll, Chemistry. PUB DATE Sep 69 NOTE 44p. AVAILABLE FROM Advisory Council on College Chemistry, Dept. of Chemistry, Stanford Univ., Stanford,California 94305 (free) EDRS PRICE EDRS P-: ice MF.40.25 HC-$2.30 DESCRIPTORS Advisory Committees, *Bibliographies,Booklists, *Chemistry, *College Science, *LibraryGuides, Research Reviews (Publications): *Resource Materials, Scholarly Journals IDENTIFIERS Advisory Council on College Chemistry ABSTRACT Contained are guidelines and an extensivelist of books and journals suitable for anundergraduate chemistry library. The guidelines are concerned with theorganization and acquisition policy of chemistry libraries, and withinter-library loan and photoduplication services. Various sections of the reportdeal with journals and abstracts, review serials,foreign language titles, U.S. Government publications and a suggestedtitles list. The books in the titles list are in the areas of analytical,biological, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Ingeneral, introductory texts have not been included. The list isarranged alphabetically with entries by author or editor unless the workis better known by title. The library of Congress classification numberand the Dewey Decimal classification number, when available, aregiven for each entry. Book prices are also given. The reportconcludes with a directory of publishers and dealers. This report shouldbe most useful for college libraries, science teachers, and students. (LC) 0 GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTEDTITLE LIST for t...UNDERGRADUATE CHEMISTRY LIBRARIES M CI Revised 1969 Co Co A Report Authorized by the ADVISORY COUNCIL ON COLLEGE CHEMISTRY Edited by D.
    [Show full text]
  • Max Planck Institute for the History of Science Werner Heisenberg And
    MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science PREPRINT 203 (2002) Horst Kant Werner Heisenberg and the German Uranium Project Otto Hahn and the Declarations of Mainau and Göttingen Werner Heisenberg and the German Uranium Project* Horst Kant Werner Heisenberg’s (1901-1976) involvement in the German Uranium Project is the most con- troversial aspect of his life. The controversial discussions on it go from whether Germany at all wanted to built an atomic weapon or only an energy supplying machine (the last only for civil purposes or also for military use for instance in submarines), whether the scientists wanted to support or to thwart such efforts, whether Heisenberg and the others did really understand the mechanisms of an atomic bomb or not, and so on. Examples for both extreme positions in this controversy represent the books by Thomas Powers Heisenberg’s War. The Secret History of the German Bomb,1 who builds up him to a resistance fighter, and by Paul L. Rose Heisenberg and the Nazi Atomic Bomb Project – A Study in German Culture,2 who characterizes him as a liar, fool and with respect to the bomb as a poor scientist; both books were published in the 1990s. In the first part of my paper I will sum up the main facts, known on the German Uranium Project, and in the second part I will discuss some aspects of the role of Heisenberg and other German scientists, involved in this project. Although there is already written a lot on the German Uranium Project – and the best overview up to now supplies Mark Walker with his book German National Socialism and the quest for nuclear power, which was published in * Paper presented on a conference in Moscow (November 13/14, 2001) at the Institute for the History of Science and Technology [àÌÒÚËÚÛÚ ËÒÚÓËË ÂÒÚÂÒÚ‚ÓÁ̇ÌËfl Ë ÚÂıÌËÍË ËÏ.
    [Show full text]
  • Robert Burns Woodward 1917–1979
    NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ROBERT BURNS WOODWARD 1917–1979 A Biographical Memoir by ELKAN BLOUT Any opinions expressed in this memoir are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Academy of Sciences. Biographical Memoirs, VOLUME 80 PUBLISHED 2001 BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. ROBERT BURNS WOODWARD April 10, 1917–July 8, 1979 BY ELKAN BLOUT OBERT BURNS WOODWARD was the preeminent organic chemist Rof the twentieth century. This opinion is shared by his colleagues, students, and by other distinguished chemists. Bob Woodward was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and was an only child. His father died when Bob was less than two years old, and his mother had to work hard to support her son. His early education was in the Quincy, Massachusetts, public schools. During this period he was allowed to skip three years, thus enabling him to finish grammar and high schools in nine years. In 1933 at the age of 16, Bob Woodward enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study chemistry, although he also had interests at that time in mathematics, literature, and architecture. His unusual talents were soon apparent to the MIT faculty, and his needs for individual study and intensive effort were met and encouraged. Bob did not disappoint his MIT teachers. He received his B.S. degree in 1936 and completed his doctorate in the spring of 1937, at which time he was only 20 years of age. Immediately following his graduation Bob taught summer school at the University of Illinois, but then returned to Harvard’s Department of Chemistry to start a productive period with an assistantship under Professor E.
    [Show full text]
  • Lecture 1: Strategies and Tactics in Organic Synthesis
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology Organic Chemistry 5.511 October 3, 2007 Prof. Rick L. Danheiser Lecture 1: Strategies and Tactics in Organic Synthesis Retrosynthetic Analysis The key to the design of efficient syntheses ". the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy "The end is where we start from...." one, but people do not practice it much." T. S. Eliot, in "The Four Quartets" Sherlock Holmes, in "A Study in Scarlet" Strategy Tactics overall plan to achieve the means by which plan ultimate synthetic target is implemented intellectual experimental retrosynthetic planning synthetic execution TRANSFORMS REACTIONS Target Precursor Precursor Target Definitions Retron Structural unit that signals the application of a particular strategy algorithm during retrosynthetic analysis. Transform Imaginary retrosynthetic operation transforming a target molecule into a precursor molecule in a manner such that bond(s) can be reformed (or cleaved) by known or reasonable synthetic reactions. Strategy Algorithm Step-by-step instructions for performing a retrosynthetic operation. "...even in the earliest stages of the process of simplification of a synthetic problem, the chemist must make use of a particular form of analysis which depends on the interplay between structural features that exist in the target molecule and the types of reactions or synthetic operations available from organic chemistry for the modification or assemblage of structural units. The synthetic chemist has learned by experience to recognize within a target molecule certain units which can be synthesized, modified, or joined by known or conceivable synthetic operations...it is convenient to have a term for such units; the term "synthon" is suggested.
    [Show full text]