Week 48

Week 48: Nov. 26 – Dec. 2 (Archive)

• Charles Hatchett announced his discovery of columbium (niobium) (Nb, 41) before Royal Society, 1801
• Born in 1817, C. Adolphe Wurtz discovered method of synthesis of hydrocarbons (Wurtz reaction), methyl and ethylamines, phosphorus oxychloride in 1846, and glycol in 1856.
• Beckman Instruments incorporated, 1934.

• Lars Onsager, born 1903, researched thermodynamics of irreversible reactions; Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1968).
• Chaim Weizmann, born 1874, discovered method for synthesizing acetone (1916); first president of Israel (1949-1952).

• Born in 1902, Maurice Arveson, authority on petroleum technology.
• Announcement of first pure compound of berkelium (Bk, 97) based on work at University of California, Berkeley, 1962.

• Do you know of a chemistry related event that occurred on this day? If so, please tell us about it. We'd love to hear from you!

• Born in 1761, Smithson Tennant discovered iridium (Ir, 77) and osmium (Os, 76) in 1803; and proved that diamonds are pure carbon.
• Born in 1849, Georg E. E. Wagner, researcher in terpene chemistry, permanganate hydroxylation of alkenes, and Wagner-Meerwein rearrangements.
• Monsanto Chemical Co. organized, 1901.
• Born in 1915, Henry Taube, researcher in electron transfer reactions; recipient of Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1983).
• Chlorotetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, isolated by B. M. Duggar, American Cyanamid Corporation, 1948.

• Born in 1743, Martin H. Klaproth discovered zirconium (Zr, 40) and uranium (from pitchblende) (U, 92) in 1789, and cerium (Ce, 58) with J. Jacob Berzelius and William Hisinger (1803); also chromium (Cr, 24) previously discovered by N. L. Vauquelin (1797).
• First production of calcium carbide in North America, American Cyanamid Co. (1909).

• Born in 1859, Ludwig Knorr synthesized heterocyclic compounds.
• Born in 1867, Nikolai M. Kishner contributed to the Wolff-Kishner reduction of aldehydes and ketones.
• Born in 1921, Isabella L. Karle is a researcher on three-dimensional structure of molecules using X-ray and electron diffraction.
• First atomic pile produced self-sustained nuclear chain reaction under Stagg Field, University of Chicago (1942).