PEOPLE THE COVER.

Schoellkopf Medal to Cass ο LIVER W. CASS, assistant manager of the Niagara Falls laboratory of Du Pout's electrochernicals department, will be the sixth Du P o n t scientist to receive the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal, an award of the Western New York Section of the ACS. I t will b e given May 18 in Buffalo in recognition of Cass's broad contribution t:o chlorinated hydrocarbons technology and par­ticularly his pioneering work in the use of furfural as a chemical intermediate and the development of processes for the production of adiponitrile from fur­fural.

As research chemist a n d supervisor, Cass's principal responsibilities have been in the fields of the development of improved processes involving halo-genated compounds, in furfural chem­istry, and in long-range organic re­search.

In the field of halogen compounds, major advances in the manufacture of methylene chloride, tridhloroethylene, and perch!oroethylene have resulted from his work. Methods of separation and identification of impurities in chlo-rohydrocarbons and t h e development of new stabilization systems for tri-chloroethylene and perchloroethylene aided in the tremendous expansion of the market for these compounds. Dur­ing the war, his study of the chlorina-tion of ethanol to chloral hastened by many months the availability of D D T in quantity.

Furfural Chemistry. In this field, Cass and his group prepared over 100 compounds. Many diamines and di­basic acids, chloro- compounds, pyrrole, pyrrolidine, methyl furan„ methyl tetra-hydrofuran, dihydropyran, 1,5-pentane-diol, and the thiazole fragment of vitamin B1 give some idea of the breadth of this work. A unique syn­thesis of lysine has s ince been devel­oped based in turn on dihydropyran.

Major result of the furfural work was successful development of the process for adiponitrile hased on the series furfural-furan-tetrahydrofuran-dichlorobutane-adiponitrile. Cass and his coworkers also pioneered another commercial route to adiponitrile, based on butadiene, by preparing for the first time the key intermediate, 1,4-dicyano-butene-2. Virtually all t h e nylon made in the U. S. in 1953 was via these two chemical routes which Cass had an im­portant part in bringing into existence. Some of the first work done in this country on the large scale laboratory

preparation of caprolactam, the basis of another type, was also done by Cass in the mid-thirties.

New Routes t o ADN. Cass's ADN work, using methods other than that starting from benzene, began in 1936 and was based on proposed reaction sequences of widely varying degrees of certainty and efficacy. Although not the original conceiver of these reactions, he could apply exceptional ability and background to the work and was in a position to forecast probability of at­tainment, and routes and conditions by which such could be reached. The work continued nearly 12 years before decision was reached to construct a plant in Niagara Falls based on the four steps furfural —> furan —> tetra-hydrofuran —> 1,4-dichlorobutane —> adiponitrile. This has been multiplied several times in output over its original design and has been a main cornerstone for nylon expansion.

Cass was born 51 years ago in Sauk Center, Minn. He received a B.S. in chemistry summa cum laude in 1923 and for the next four years taught at Hamline, his alma mater. He received an M.S. in 1927 from the University of Chicago and from then until 1933 taught at Oklahoma City University, except for a year's leave of absence during which he took a Ph.D. at Minne­sota. Then his career at Du Pont be­gan, first as a research chemist. He was advanced successively to group leader, supervisor, section manager, and assistant manager of the laboratory.

He and his wife, who holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from Ohio Wes-leyan, have three children, Judith Anne, Oliver W., Jr., and Donald Angus. His interests besides chemistry, are diverse, ranging from children, photography, books, music, and bridge to tennis, golf, and roses. He is a hard worker with high powers of concentration. One of his friends says " J u s t let him get hold of an idea and then try to get him to do anything else." He is particularly noted for his technical honesty—he will not give an opinion unless he can back it up. A friend says, "If he says the

melting point is 105 % you know that it is not 100° or 110°, but 105° right on the nose." He is known for his sys­tematic experimentation and for his rigid basing of conclusions on factual data rather than on anyone's opinion.

It is characteristic of the man's de­termination that he made his decision to go into industrial research at a time when many men would have hesitated. He put behind him many years of teaching, and, in the economically dark year of 1933, stepped into the entirely new world of industrial research.

Flow chart in back­ground of Cass's of­fice shows steps in the process for con­version of furfural to adiponitrile

INDUSTRY _ Gabriel Appleman, chemical engi­

neer, appointed to take charge of proc­ess design at Foster D. Snell, Inc., New York. John Hegedus hired as junior chemical engineer in process design and L. Pétrone joins firm as junior chemical engineer to do research in engineering physics.

Jackson J. Ayo, research associate in process development; Ernest Kuhn, superintendent of sulfur colors, surfac­tants, and iron carbonyl powders; and Max W. Levy, research associate, were honored at a luncheon recently on com­pletion of 35 years of service with Linden, N. J., plant of Ceneral Aniline & Film Corp.

Robert J. Beck promoted from sales engineer at Chicago office of Atlantic Refining Co., chemical product sales division, to eastern sales manager in Philadelphia, Providence, and Char­lotte offices. A. H. Milask advanced from eastern sales manager to home office sales manager in Philadelphia and will supervise foreign sales. N. S. Haas promoted from administration and operation manager to product co­ordinator and special products sales manager. William B. Packer named chemical product sales engineer in Chi­cago.

Alvin E. Bernhard appointed west­ern district representative for Applied Research Laboratories, Glendale, Calif.

Morris of Armour to Head AOCS C. E. Morris of

Armour & Co. has been elected presi­dent of American Oil Chemists' So­ciety for 1954. W. A. Peterson of Col­gate-Palmolive Co. was named vp; R. W. Bates of North American Laboratories Serv-

and A. F . Kapecki,

C. E. Morris

ice, secretary; Wurster and Sanger, Inc., treasurer.

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These standard Pfaudier glassed steel reactors were on their way to Bristol Laboratories, Inc., 5 days after receipt of the order at the Rochester plant!

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lems. You eliminate product con­tamination and replacement of equipment due to corrosion be­cause the glassed steel resists a t t a c k b y a l l a c i d s ( e x c e p t hydrofluoric).

Even sticky products are less likely to build up on the smooth surface of glass!

Fused permanently together, steel and gla§s give you the opti­mum benefits of both—the cor­rosion resistance of glass plus the strength of steel.

Solve your problem If you process corrosives, Pfaud-ler's new standardized manufac­ture may help you solve a problem, quickly and at low cost. Write today for data, prices and delivery informationï

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ROCHESTER 3, Ν. Υ.

PEOPLE

Erna Breton joins research and de­velopment staff of R. T. French Co., Rochester, Ν. Υ.

Arthur F . Caceiîa joins staff of Benger lab of Du Pont at Waynesboro, Va.

H. M. Campbell appointed general manager of metals division and R. A. St. Clair named general manager of electrical division of Olin Industries, East Alton, 111.

R. H . Christenson appointed sales and service representative of chemical processing division in the east-central region for Detrex Corp.

Following were announced as win­ners of Smalley awards given by Ameri­can Oil Chemists Society: M. C. Clark, E . R. Hahn, R. L . Pope, D . B. Mclsaac , M. A. Clark, P. D . Cretien, Biffle Owen, R. G. Thompson, A. G. Thompson, W . N . Kesler, T. L . Rettger, T. C. Law, E . H. Tenent, Sr., C . L. Manning, H . C . Bennett, J. S. Boulden, W . F . Beedie, J. J. Ganucheau, J. S. Sandifer, and William Stewart.

George F . Clegg joins Saflex depart­ment of Monsanto's plastics division, Springfield, Mass.

J. W . Cunningham joins Dow's Texas division as a planning engineer in the organic laboratory, Freeport , Tex.

H. W . Dahlberg, Jr., appointed as­sistant to vp in charge of phosphate chemicals division, International Min­erals & Chemical Corp., Chicago.

E. H . Doberenz and R. L. Kinney from University of Michigan join Rich­mond labs of California Research Corp. Also joining is R. M. Teeter from Uni­versity ôf Washington.

Henry M. Fisher , technical super­visor of Pennsalt's Natrona, Pa., plant, named technical assistant to the man­ager of the firm's Calvert, Ky., works.

William P . Gee, assistant to the presi­dent, placed in charge of all petro­chemical activities for the Texas Co., New York.

Harold I . Holdeman joins produc­tion department of Monsanto's plastics division, Texas City, Tex.

William J. McCaw appointed to sales staff of Chemical Processing, Philadel­phia. From Horace T. Potts Co.

Henry M. Miles appointed Ohio rep­resentative for Eberbach & Son Co., Ann Arbor, Mich. From Huron Tech­nical Service Co.

Harris C. Miller promoted from sales representative in the New York district to assistant district sales manager.

Shaw Wins Laurels fo r Excellence in Teaching Chemistry William Harry Robert Shaw, 29, best known on campus at University of Texas, Austin, for his classroom lecture demonstrations, was selected as representative of high-quality teaching at the freshman-sophomore level, Shaw plans to use the award money of $500 to build more gadgets with which to illustrate his lectures and to hire student assistants to help carry out the work. The award is called the Lemuel Scarbrough Foundation Faculty Award. Here Shaw stages his famous flour mill explosion

Frank W. Long transfers from research and development depar tment to sales development group.

J. B. Morrow, consultant to Al-ford, Morrow & Associates, Pitts­burgh, given the s e c o n d a n n u a l BCR award for outstanding leader­ship in industry-sponsored coal re­search. Award is

conferred by Bituminous Coal Re­search, Inc., to stimulate technical progress in the bituminous coal indus­try.

George J. Olbur named director of purchasing and inventory control at Promat division, Poor & Co., Wauke-gan, 111.

James R. Owens retires as industrial products sales manager of Du Pont's fabrics division after 34 years with the company.

Ray W. Pafford, vice president and general manager in charge of produc­tion for Acme Brick Co., installed as president of American Ceramic So­ciety.

Edwin Ruh , former research assistant at Rutgers, joins Harbison-Walker Re­

fractories Co. as a research engineer at Hays laboratory in Pittsburgh.

Emil Schlittler appointed director of research at Ciba Pharmaceutical Prod­ucts, Inc., Summit, N . J. Succeeds Frederick F . Yonkman, vp-research.

Clarence T. Schoch of Pennsylvania Power and Light Co. elected president of National Society of Professional En­gineers.

J. T. Sherman named head of metals process section, sales department , Chemical Construction Corp., New York.

Jack D . Slater joins staff of Grand River chemical division of Deere & Co., Pryor, Okla., as chemical analyti­cal supervisor.

C. E . W e b b appointed assistant to the president of Sharpies Chemicals, Inc., Philadelphia.

George M. Walker named vice presi­dent and general manager of Koppers chemical division, succeeds the late Dan M. Rugg.

Marshall S. Walker retires after 28 years of service with Walker & Whyte , Inc., and will act as consultant for metallurgical sampling and assaying, Glen Ridge, N . J.

Harry E. Westlake, Jr., transfers

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from Bound Brook, N. J., research labs of American Cyanamid to patent de­par tment of the company at Stamford.

Carroll L. Wilson, president of Cli­max Uranium Co., shifts to devote full time to his post of director of industrial

C. L. Wilson John H. White, Jr.

development for the parent company, Climax Molybdenum Co. He will con­tinue as a member of the board of the subsidiary company. John H. White , Jr., succeeds him. Presidency has been made a full-time post with headquarters at Grand Junction, Colo.

Averill J. Wiley, technical director of the Sulphite Pulp Manufacturers' Research League (which comprises 14 Wisconsin and Michigan mills), re­ceived a certificate of merit from the Nash Conservation Awards Program for outstanding contributions in reduc-

~~Λ Nicholson Steam Traps

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Primarily to solve the freeze-up problem on their jacketed kettles, an Eastern processor replaced mechanical traps with Nicholson thermostatic units. But, in addi­t ion, they found heating time was shortened 4 0 % . Credit is given the higher, more even temperatures which Nicholson traps effect. 5 types: size VA" to 2 " ; pressures to 250 lbs.

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ing sulfite stream pollution through industry-sponsored research.

Charles R. Wit-s c h o n k e n a m e d manager of newly formed physical-analytical section of American Cy-anamicTs research division, Bound Brook, N . J., labo­ratories. He has been head of the

physical -chemical measurements lab.

Ralph Winslow appointed a vp of Koppers Co. Has been manager of public relations.

EDUCATION Donald A. Burns from National Cash

Register Co. becomes graduate s tudent at College of Puget Sound under a navy grant.

William C . Coburn, Jr., accepts po­sition a s research chemist with South­ern Research Institute, Birmingham, Ala.

George F . Condike, professor of physical science at Bridgewater Teach­ers College, named dean of Fi tchburg Teachers College, Brockton, Mass.

W. L. Fai th, di­rector of engineer­ing in charge of development, pilot plant, mechanical, and process engi­neering for Corn Products Refining Co. , a p p o i n t e d d e p u t y d i r e c t o r and chief engineer

of the Southern California Air Pollutioni Foundation, Los Angeles.

Paul E. Grigg joins staff of Armour Research Foundation, Chicago, as ce­ramic engineer.

Morris S. Kharasch of the University of Chicago has been named the first

Gustavus F. and Ann M. Swift dis­tinguished - service professor of chem­istry at the school. The professorship was established un­der the will of the late Charles H. Swift as a t r ibute to his father, early C h i c a g o p a c k e r

who helped to found the university, and his mother, one of the institution's greatest contributors. Kharasch is cred­ited with developing merthiolate. H e isolated and prepared a pure form ol the drug ergonovine, worked out a method of synthesis used in manufac­ture of cyclopropane, and is noted for many other contributions to organic chemistry.

Jay E. Meili leaves Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Co. to join the H . H. Robertson Co. fellowship at Mellon Institute, to work on Stypol polyester resins.

John H. Skinkle named executive director of the Research Foundation of Lowell Technological Institute, Lowell, Mass. Succeeds Basil G. Skalkeas, resigned.

Juan F . Villarreal from Penn State becomes dean of school of petroleum engineering, Universidad Industrial d e Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Delaware Has Visiting Professors from Many Lands

At the University of Dela­ware, Newark, Del., many foreign professors come to study American educa­tional methods and to do research in the department of chemical engineering. Left to right: Rolf-Bertil Eklund from Royal Insti­tute of Technology, Stock­holm; Tokuro Mizushina from Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Kiroku Yamazaki, University of Tokyo; and Teodorico Festin from University of Manila, Philippine Islands

1698 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

.PEOPLE

G O V E R N M E N T . Harold A. Fidler appo inted manager

of San Francisco field office of U . S. Atomic Energy Commiss ion. Has b e e n deputy manager of that office.

Arthur Henry Ford-Moore , senior principal scientific officer in the Min­istry of Supply , working at British Chemical D e f e n s e Experimental Estab­lishment, Porton, Wi l t s , England , is visiting the U. S. to confer w i t h Chemi­cal Corps personnel at Army Chemical Center and C a m p Derrick, M d .

H o r a c e S. Isbel l of Nat ional Bureau of Standards will rece ive the 1 9 5 4 Honor Award of the A C S Divis ion of Carbohydrate Chemistry , D r . Is­be l l is known for his studies of su­gars a n d their de ­

rivatives and of reaction mechanisms and most recently for his methods of preparing carbon-14 labe led sugars.

Walke Completes 25 Years With Parke. Davis Earl W. Walke (right) , superintendent of U. S. and Canadian production for Parke, Davis & Co. is presented with a gold watch award for 25 years of service with the firm by Homer C. Fritsch, executive vp.

Solution to Last Week's Puzzle

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