John E. McMurry
Encyclopedia
John McMurry, born July 27, 1942, in New York City, is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University
. He received his Ph.D. working with Gilbert Stork
. Following completion of his Ph.D., he joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz
in 1967 and moved to Cornell University
in 1980.
, in which two molecules of ketone or aldehyde are coupled to give an alkene when treated with titanium(III) chloride
and a reducing agent
such as Zn(Cu). The reaction has been widely used by the chemical community in the laboratory synthesis of many complex organic molecules and by the pharmaceutical industry in the commercial synthesis of several drugs. McMurry was elected a Fellow
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1985 and received a Max Planck Society
Research Award in 1991.
In addition to his scientific work, McMurry is the author of numerous undergraduate chemistry textbooks. More than 3 million copies of his books in 12 languages have been used throughout the world. Among his current texts are:
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. He received his Ph.D. working with Gilbert Stork
Gilbert Stork
Gilbert Stork is a U.S. organic chemist. He is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Columbia University. The Stork enamine synthesis is named in his honor.-Education:...
. Following completion of his Ph.D., he joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
in 1967 and moved to Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1980.
Contributions
The author of more than 100 research papers, Professor McMurry is best known scientifically for his development of the McMurry reactionMcMurry reaction
The McMurry reaction is an organic reaction in which two ketone or aldehyde groups are coupled to an alkene using titanium chloride compound such as titanium chloride and a reducing agent. The reaction is named after its co-discoverer, John E. McMurry. The McMurry reaction originally involved the...
, in which two molecules of ketone or aldehyde are coupled to give an alkene when treated with titanium(III) chloride
Titanium(III) chloride
Titanium chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula TiCl3. At least four distinct species have this formula; additionally hydrated derivatives are known...
and a reducing agent
Reducing agent
A reducing agent is the element or compound in a reduction-oxidation reaction that donates an electron to another species; however, since the reducer loses an electron we say it is "oxidized"...
such as Zn(Cu). The reaction has been widely used by the chemical community in the laboratory synthesis of many complex organic molecules and by the pharmaceutical industry in the commercial synthesis of several drugs. McMurry was elected a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
in 1985 and received a Max Planck Society
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
Research Award in 1991.
In addition to his scientific work, McMurry is the author of numerous undergraduate chemistry textbooks. More than 3 million copies of his books in 12 languages have been used throughout the world. Among his current texts are:
- Organic Chemistry (8th edition)
- Organic Chemistry with Biological Applications (2nd edition)
- Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry (7th edition)
- Chemistry (6th edition)
- General Chemistry, Atoms First
- General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry (6th edition)
- The Organic Chemistry of Biological Pathways