Woodward, R. B. (Robert Burns), 1917-1979

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1917-04-10
Death 1979-07-08

Biographical notes:

Robert Burns Woodward (1917-1979) joined the Chemistry Department at Harvard University in 1938. He was appointed Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry in 1958 and held the Donner Professorship of Science from 1960 until his death. Woodward was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1965 for his work in organic chemistry.

From the description of Papers of Robert Burns Woodward, 1873-1980 (inclusive), 1930-1979 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76973225

Robert Burns Woodward (1917-1979), American chemist, Harvard professor, and 1965 Nobel Prize winner, is noted most for his work in organic synthesis.

Woodward was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, on April 10, 1917, the son of Arthur and Margaret Woodward. He received his elementary and high school education in Quincy public schools, and was graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1937 with both B.S. and Ph.D. degrees. In 1938 Woodward came to Harvard as private assistant to Professor E. P. Kohler and was soon thereafter appointed to the Society of Fellows. In 1941, he became an instructor in chemistry, progressing to an appointment as full professor in 1950. Woodward was appointed Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry in 1953, and held the Donner Professorship of Science from 1960 until his death on July 8, 1979.

The following chronology of his work was adapted from that provided by his daughter Crystal Woodward in Art and Elegance in the Synthesis of Organic Compounds: Robert Burns Woodward published in Creative Peogle at Work , Oxford University Press, 1989.

1934 Publishes first scientific paper 1940 1942 Publishes four papers on rules for the correlation of ultraviolet spectroscopy with molecular structure; known as the Woodward Rules 1942 Writes early paper on the Diels-Alder reaction 1944 Completes synthesis of quinine 1945 1956 Determines the structure of penicillin, patulin, strychnine, terramycin, aureomycin, and magnamycin 1951 Synthesis of the steroids cholesterol and cortisone 1954 Synthesis of strychnine and lysergic acid 1956 Synthesis of reserpine 1960 Completes synthesis of chlorophyll, which took four years 1963 Begins work at the Woodward Research Institute Synthesis of cephalosporin C 1965 1969 Development of the laws of the conservation of orbital symmetry, with Roald Hoffman 1972 Synthesis of vitamin B12 completed with A. Eschenmoser

From the guide to the Papers of Robert Burns Woodward, 1873-1980, 1930-1979, (Harvard University Archives)

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Subjects:

  • Chemistry, Organic
  • Chemistry, Organic
  • Vitamin B12

Occupations:

not available for this record

Places:

  • Massachusetts--Cambridge (as recorded)

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