䴀愀渀礀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 愀瀀瀀攀愀爀 椀渀 琀眀漀 昀漀爀洀猀 琀栀愀琀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 攀愀挀栀 漀琀栀攀爀 ⴀ 樀甀猀琀 愀猀 漀甀爀 栀愀渀搀猀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 攀愀挀栀 漀琀栀攀爀⸀ 匀甀挀栀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 愀爀攀 挀愀氀氀攀搀 挀栀椀爀愀氀⸀ 䤀渀 渀愀琀甀爀攀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀猀攀 昀漀爀洀猀 椀猀 漀昀琀攀渀 搀漀洀椀渀愀渀琀Ⰰ 猀漀 椀渀 漀甀爀 挀攀氀氀猀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀猀攀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 椀洀愀最攀猀 漀昀 愀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀 昀椀琀猀 ∀氀椀欀攀 愀 最氀漀瘀攀Ⰰ∀ 椀渀 挀漀渀琀爀愀猀琀 琀漀 琀栀攀 漀琀栀攀爀 漀渀攀Ⰰ 眀栀椀挀栀 洀愀礀 攀瘀攀渀 戀攀 栀愀爀洀昀甀氀⸀ 倀栀愀爀洀愀挀攀甀琀椀挀愀氀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀 漀昀琀攀渀 挀漀渀猀椀猀琀 漀昀 挀栀椀爀愀氀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 搀椀昀昀攀爀攀渀挀攀 戀攀琀眀攀攀渀 琀栀攀 琀眀漀 昀漀爀洀猀 挀愀渀 戀攀 愀 洀愀琀琀攀爀 漀昀 氀椀昀攀 愀渀搀 搀攀愀琀栀 ⴀ 愀猀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀 挀愀猀攀Ⰰ 昀漀爀 攀砀愀洀瀀氀攀Ⰰ 椀渀 琀栀攀 琀栀愀氀椀搀漀洀椀搀攀 搀椀猀愀猀琀攀爀 椀渀 琀栀攀 㤀㘀 猀⸀ 吀栀愀琀 椀猀 眀栀礀 椀琀 椀猀 瘀椀琀愀氀 琀漀 戀攀 愀戀氀攀 琀漀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀攀 琀栀攀 琀眀漀 挀栀椀爀愀氀 昀漀爀洀猀 猀攀瀀愀爀愀琀攀氀礀⸀
吀栀椀猀 礀攀愀爀✀猀 一漀戀攀氀 䰀愀甀爀攀愀琀攀猀 椀渀 䌀栀攀洀椀猀琀爀礀 栀愀瘀攀 搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀攀搀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 琀栀愀琀 挀愀渀 挀愀琀愀氀礀猀攀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀 猀漀 琀栀愀琀 漀渀氀礀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 琀眀漀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 椀洀愀最攀 昀漀爀洀猀 椀猀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀攀搀⸀ 吀栀攀 挀愀琀愀氀礀猀琀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀Ⰰ 眀栀椀挀栀 椀琀猀攀氀昀 椀猀 挀栀椀爀愀氀Ⰰ 猀瀀攀攀搀猀 甀瀀 琀栀攀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀 眀椀琀栀漀甀琀 戀攀椀渀最 挀漀渀猀甀洀攀搀⸀ 䨀甀猀琀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀猀攀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 挀愀渀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀攀 洀椀氀氀椀漀渀猀 漀昀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 搀攀猀椀爀攀搀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 椀洀愀最攀 昀漀爀洀⸀
圀椀氀氀椀愀洀 匀⸀ 䬀渀漀眀氀攀猀 搀椀猀挀漀瘀攀爀攀搀 琀栀愀琀 椀琀 眀愀猀 瀀漀猀猀椀戀氀攀 琀漀 甀猀攀 琀爀愀渀猀椀琀椀漀渀 洀攀琀愀氀猀 琀漀 洀愀欀攀 挀栀椀爀愀氀 挀愀琀愀氀礀猀琀猀 昀漀爀 愀渀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀 琀礀瀀攀 漀昀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀 挀愀氀氀攀搀 栀礀搀爀漀最攀渀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 琀栀攀爀攀戀礀 漀戀琀愀椀渀椀渀最 琀栀攀 搀攀猀椀爀攀搀 洀椀爀爀漀爀 椀洀愀最攀 昀漀爀洀 愀猀 琀栀攀 昀椀渀愀氀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀⸀ 䠀椀猀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 焀甀椀挀欀氀礀 氀攀搀 琀漀 愀渀 椀渀搀甀猀琀爀椀愀氀 瀀爀漀挀攀猀猀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 琀栀攀 䰀ⴀ䐀伀倀䄀 搀爀甀最Ⰰ 眀栀椀挀栀 椀猀 甀猀攀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 琀爀攀愀琀洀攀渀琀 漀昀 倀愀爀欀椀渀猀漀渀✀猀 搀椀猀攀愀猀攀⸀ 刀礀漀樀椀 一漀礀漀爀椀 栀愀猀 氀攀搀 琀栀攀 昀甀爀琀栀攀爀 搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀洀攀渀琀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 瀀爀漀挀攀猀猀 琀漀 琀漀搀愀礀✀猀 最攀渀攀爀愀氀 挀栀椀爀愀氀 挀愀琀愀氀礀猀琀猀 昀漀爀 栀礀搀爀漀最攀渀愀琀椀漀渀⸀ 䬀⸀ 䈀愀爀爀礀 匀栀愀爀瀀氀攀猀猀Ⰰ 漀渀 琀栀攀 漀琀栀攀爀 栀愀渀搀Ⰰ 椀猀 愀眀愀爀搀攀搀 栀愀氀昀 漀昀 琀栀攀 倀爀椀稀攀 昀漀爀 搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀椀渀最 挀栀椀爀愀氀 挀愀琀愀氀礀猀琀猀 昀漀爀 愀渀漀琀栀攀爀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀 琀礀瀀攀 漀昀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀 ⴀ 漀砀椀搀愀琀椀漀渀⸀
吀栀攀 䰀愀甀爀攀愀琀攀猀 栀愀瘀攀 漀瀀攀渀攀搀 甀瀀 愀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀琀攀氀礀 渀攀眀 昀椀攀氀搀 漀昀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 椀渀 眀栀椀挀栀 椀琀 椀猀 瀀漀猀猀椀戀氀攀 琀漀 猀礀渀琀栀攀猀椀稀攀 洀漀氀攀挀甀氀攀猀 愀渀搀 洀愀琀攀爀椀愀氀 眀椀琀栀 渀攀眀 瀀爀漀瀀攀爀琀椀攀猀⸀ 吀漀搀愀礀 琀栀攀 爀攀猀甀氀琀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀椀爀 戀愀猀椀挀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 愀爀攀 戀攀椀渀最 甀猀攀搀 椀渀 愀 渀甀洀戀攀爀 漀昀 椀渀搀甀猀琀爀椀愀氀 猀礀渀琀栀攀猀攀猀 漀昀 瀀栀愀爀洀愀挀攀甀琀椀挀愀氀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀 猀甀挀栀 愀猀 愀渀琀椀戀椀漀琀椀挀猀Ⰰ 愀渀琀椀ⴀ椀渀昀氀愀洀洀愀琀漀爀礀 搀爀甀最猀 愀渀搀 栀攀愀爀琀 洀攀搀椀挀椀渀攀猀⸀ 㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 I was born in Taunton, Massachusetts on June 1, 1917, but I actually grew up in nearby New Bedford. My family background was heavily slanted toward business and seafaring matters. I can't think of any relatives that ever went into science. My family gave me the best in education. To my father, business was the highest calling, but to my mother, medicine was the top profession. She would probably have gone to medical school if she had been born in a more enlightened era.㰀瀀㸀 I went to boarding school at Berkshire in western Massachusetts, definitely the most beautiful part of the state. I'll never forget the fall colors on the Berkshires. In those days I was terrible at athletics and never made a team, but quite easily led my class in academics. I was particularly good at math and science. I also got a good lesson in New England thrift. To get free ice for our physics experiments we had to wait until it snowed.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 On graduating, I was easily admitted to Harvard. In that era all one had to do was pass the College Board exams. If any one in my family went to college that was where he went. My father spent a year there and quit to go into the textile business. At this point I was strongly advised that I was too young socially to go to college so I took a second senior year at Andover, another boarding school. At that time many students did this. At Andover I took my first chemistry course from a teacher named Bushy Graham and was fascinated by the subject. I remember him trying to explain Avagadro's number and his discussion of the dangers of hydrogen and oxygen. At the end of the year, I took a competitive exam and won my first prize, the $50 Boylston prize in chemistry.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 That summer I took a cruise on a 75-foot schooner with no engine, sailing from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Norway. We sailed around the Baltic ending up at Stockholm. I didn't think of it at the time, but we spent most of three weeks on the north Atlantic with no contact at all with the outside world. Today one is always in touch with home base even if you go to the South Pole or the Moon. Memories of this sailing trip have always been vivid. On one instance we were mistakenly arrested in Tallin, Estonia and got a ride in the paddy wagon. Later we were released without comment. Little did I think that one day years later I would be returning to Stockholm to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 At Harvard I majored in chemistry with a strong inclination toward math. I took the minimum of humanities. I was told I'd be a natural for physical chemistry but taking organic with Louis Fieser changed my mind. It was there I got my introduction to optical isomerism and the tetrahedral carbon atom. At Harvard competition was fierce and I always got a solid B, but not the straight A's of many of my class mates. These were the days when most got a gentleman's C.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 On graduating in 1939 I was strongly advised to go elsewhere to graduate school. I went to Columbia with Professor Elderfield and worked on making simple analogs of the cardiac aglucones. These were tested at Eli Lilly for cardiac activity. Bob Elderfield was at his best when he talked steroids when he was at Rockefeller Institute. Paralleling Nobel's experience I too had an explosion. Mine came when distilling diazomethane. No one was hurt, but a bottle of intermediate that I had labored on for months was destroyed.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In those days Professor Elderfield spent a lot of time away on the anti-malarial project in the military, and we were on our own a lot. Professor Nelson Leonard, long at the University of Illinois in Champagne, was in our research group. Later he consulted at Monsanto.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 New York was an exciting place to be in those war years and my draft board forced Columbia to push me out sooner than would ordinarily happen. In those days industry would hire any chemist that could breathe. In 1942, I started in Dayton, Ohio at the Thomas and Hochwalt laboratories, which had recently joined Monsanto. Most of my assignments were pretty mundane, like making super pure hexamethylenetetramine to be used for making the explosive cyclonite.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In 1944, I was transferred to St. Louis to work on plasticizers and intermediates. We did make a lot of benzyl benzoate as a mite repellant for soldiers clothing. We later had a DDT project which never got into production until the war was over. More interesting, we had a synthetic process for vanillin but lost out to lignin as a way to get that desirable molecule. In those days we did get involved with the custom manufacture of the antibiotic chloramphenicol and made 10-15000 lbs. before it was taken off the market because a very small percentage of patients developed aplastic anemia. At the time my dog had a fungus on her chest that wouldn't heal and resisted treatment. I made an ointment with our product and it cleared up in two days. She lived to 17 years.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Shortly after the war the discovery that cortisone might become a large volume pharmaceutical caused Monsanto to engage Professor Woodward with the hope of commercializing his synthetic approach. I was selected to join this effort since I had a steroid background.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Actually I got to spend nine months in his lab at Cambridge on this total synthesis. The experience working with the "great man" is one I'll never forget. For the first three months in his lab he would come in at noon and say, "Let's go to Schrafts." We would spend an hour or more scribbling chemical structures on the menu or placemats. His phenomenal memory was beyond anything I'd ever seen. In those days he never kept a file or wrote a reference. He'd just say look on page so and so in Beilstein and you'll find something on that. He lost some of this ability as he grew older and it bothered him. He really hoped Monsanto would commercialize his steroid synthesis, but the Mexican yam with its high content of diosgenin eventually killed our effort. Our program for cortisone got fairly well along. We made a few milligrams of racemic cortisone and we had resolved an early intermediate which we intended to carry through to the real thing. It was made too complex to compete with the lowly yam.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Later in the fifties I got involved in kinetic studies using my long forgotten math background. These studies led to improvements in several of our processes by doubling production with little or no additional capital. In those days, industry was hungry for chemicals and much effort was spent to get more out in the same equipment.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Monsanto had developed a separate line of advancement for those who wished to stay in technology and I rose to the top of that ladder before I even thought of asymmetric hydrogenations. I was one who liked to work with my hands as well as my brain. Chemical research in the lab was ideal for filling this need. The work on the asymmetric project, which started in the mid-sixties, is the subject of my lecture. Obviously, I kept active in this area until I retired in 1986, and continued in a consulting capacity for several years after.㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 On the home front we had purchased a cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming 25 years ago and have spent summers and some winter skiing time there ever since. It is there that our four children and four grand children often meet. On several occasions, Professor Kagan has visited us there and we've been able to talk asymmetric hydrogenations. I have always loved doing things outdoors, including fly-fishing, hiking and biking. When things are going wrong I find splitting wood quite therapeutic.
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