William von Eggers Doering
Encyclopedia
William von Eggers Doering (June 22, 1917 - January 3, 2011) was a Professor Emeritus at Harvard University
and the former Chair of its Chemistry
Department. Prior to joining the Faculty at Harvard, he was a member of the Chemistry Faculties of Columbia University
(1942–1952) and Yale
(1952–1968).
He is known in the field of organic chemistry
for his work on quinine total synthesis
with Robert Burns Woodward
. Some people think, as Woodward, he should have been awarded the Nobel Prize
for this work. Having published his first scientific paper in 1939 and his last in 2008, he holds the rare distinction of having authored scholarly articles in eight different decades. In 1990, he received the Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry and in 1989, he received the "James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry" of the American Chemical Society
.
Some of his discoveries include the structure elucidation of the tropylium cation, the discovery of dichlorocarbene
, bullvalene
and fulvalene
and the discovery of the mechanism of the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and the former Chair of its Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
Department. Prior to joining the Faculty at Harvard, he was a member of the Chemistry Faculties of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(1942–1952) and Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
(1952–1968).
He is known in the field of organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
for his work on quinine total synthesis
Quinine total synthesis
In total synthesis, the Quinine total synthesis describes the efforts in synthesis of quinine over a 150 year period. The development of synthetic quinine is considered a milestone in organic chemistry although it has never been produced industrially as a substitute for natural occurring quinine...
with Robert Burns Woodward
Robert Burns Woodward
Robert Burns Woodward was an American organic chemist, considered by many to be the preeminent organic chemist of the twentieth century...
. Some people think, as Woodward, he should have been awarded the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for this work. Having published his first scientific paper in 1939 and his last in 2008, he holds the rare distinction of having authored scholarly articles in eight different decades. In 1990, he received the Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry and in 1989, he received the "James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry" of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
.
Some of his discoveries include the structure elucidation of the tropylium cation, the discovery of dichlorocarbene
Dichlorocarbene
Dichlorocarbene is a carbene commonly encountered in organic chemistry. This reactive intermediate with chemical formula CCl2 is easily available by reaction of chloroform and a base such as potassium t-butoxide or sodium hydroxide dissolved in water...
, bullvalene
Bullvalene
Bullvalene is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C10H10 with the unusual property that the chemical bonds making up the molecule are constantly rearranging as in fluxional molecules...
and fulvalene
Fulvalene
A fulvalene is a hydrocarbon obtained by formally cross-conjugating two rings through a common exocyclic double bond. The name is derived from the similarly structured fulvenes which lack one ring...
and the discovery of the mechanism of the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation.
External links
- William von Eggers Doering - Michigan State University