\ P E O P L E

Sir William Henry Perkin — with

Mauve, a New Era

William Henry Perkin at t h e age of 14, from photograph taken b y himself

Both knighthood and honorary mem­bership in ACS were PerkhVs in 1906

So Ν OF A MAN who wanted him to be an architect, William H. Perkin con­sidered a career in carpentering, me­chanics, engineering, and art , and pur­sued all these fields with great earnest. But at the age of 12 to 13, he became interested in and impressed with the power of substances to crystallize in definite forms. Perkin himself later said "I saw there was in chemistry something far beyond the other pur­suits with which I had previously been occupied. The possibility of making new discoveries impressed me very much. My course was fixed and I de­termined, if possible, to become a chem­ist." He became a chemist indeed, and, with his discovery of aniline purple which led to establishment of the syn­thetic dye industry, one of t h e greatest.

What were some of the factors which led to this outstanding career? No better person could have been chosen to describe them at the Perkin Cente­nary Celebration than Sir Robert Robin­son, who was a student of William H. Perkin, Jr.

Tribute is perhaps first due to Thomas Hall, City of London School, who presented lunch-hour lectures twice a week o n natural philosophy, and to which young Perkin went reg­ularly at t he sacrifice of missing his

meal. Says Sir Robert, the seeds of curiosity, wonder, and zeal fell, it is true, on specially fertile ground, but they were sown, and all honor to the sower.

At 15, Perkin entered the Royal Col­lege of Chemistry in London. Here , under A. W. Hofmann, he finished quickly t h e usual analytical courses and was soon encouraged to try his hand at research, actually completing his first investigation during his 17th year.

Only slnortly after his 18th birthday, Perkin reached, with dramatic sudden­ness, a tuxning point in his career. He was attempting to synthesize quinine from allyltoluidine, which was con­verted into a salt and treated with potassium bichromate. No quinine was formed, "but instead a dirty reddish-brown precipitate. "Unpromising though t be result was," Perkin said later, "I was interested in the action, and thooght it desirable to treat a more simple base in the same manner. Aniline was selected, and its sulphate was treated with potassium bichromate; in this instance a black precipitate was obtained, and when this was digested with metiiylated spirit a mauve coloring matter was extracted."

I t was this discovery, on which the first patent ever granted for the man­

ufacture of a synthetic dye was issued, which interested the firm of Pullars of

A.D. 1856, KthAuovsT. N* 1984.

Dyeing Fabrics.

LETTEBS PATENT to William Henry Perkin. of King David Fort, in the Parish οΓ Saint George in the East, in the County of Middlesex Chemist, for the Invention of "PsoBscuoa New Coseaan» Varna pot TJrxnro WITH a LILAC OK Prarue Cotoa S t u m or 8mr, Corn», Won, ei

Sealed the 20th February 1857, and dated the 86th August 1856.

PROVISIONAL 8FECIFXCATX0N left by the said William Henry Perldr at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, cc the 26th August 1856.

I . WILLIAM EJE.NET PB&KXH, do herebj declare the nature of the ttk 5 Invention for "Ρχαοσαη a Nrw COMBXXO K a m a FOB Drove wxnt a l a a i

ox Pwam COLO» STOW· or Sua, COTTO», WOOL, oa o r r a Xaxtxias*." to I*

as follows : — Equivalent proportions of sulphate of aniline and bichromate of potassa an

to be dissolved in separate portions of hot water, sad, when dissolved, they art 10 to be mixed and stirred, which causes a black precipitate to form. After thi

mixture has stood for * few hours it is to be thrown on a filter, and the pre dpitate to be well washed with water to free it from sulphate of potass·, aai then dried. When dry it is to bo boiled in coal-tar naptha to extract «-browi

Reproduction of first page of Patent No. 1984 in the year 1856 for Perkin's discovery of mauveine

4 3 8 0 C & Ε Ν SEPT. 10. 1 9 5 6

Perth and led to establishment of the world's first synthetic dye plant-

Perldn was the ideal opportunist dis­coverer: he looked for one thing and found another thing quite different. But what distinguishes this youth of 18 from all his contemporaries and prede­cessors was the extremely energetic and courageous manner in which he de­veloped his discovery. Though faced with formidable obstacles, a plant was begun at Greenford Green near Harrow in June of 1857 and only six months later it was in production.

Throughout the early stages of de­velopment, Perkin gave customer serv­ice, personally visiting dye-houses, and whenever difficulties emerged, improve­ments were indicated. He was the pioneer of sales service in the synthetic chemicals industry, according to Sir Robert.

Daring the 17 years in which he operated a manufacturing industry, Perkin published some 30 papers. After retiring from industrial activities, he converted his house at Sudbury into laboratories and conducted research which led to some 60 additional papers. Many honors came his way: he was a Fellow of the Royal Society and recipi­ent of the Royal Medal and Davy Medal; President of The Chemical So­ciety, Society of Chemical Industry, SO­

B S ie HI 1 _M Η Ω Η Β* ïïf=a

Perldn's early nitration plant

ciety of Dyers and Colourists; recipient of the Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society, Albert Medal of the Royal So­ciety of Arts, Hofmann Medal of the German Chemical Society and Lavoisier Medal of French Chemical Society; honorary doctorates included degrees from universities of Wurzburg, St. Andrews, Manchester, Heidelberg, Ox­ford, Leeds, Columbia, and Johns Hop­kins. He was an honorary foreign member of the German Chemical So­ciety and an honorary member of AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. In 1906, his outstanding contributions to chemistry led to his being knighted by Edward VII.

Based on the talk, Life and Work of Sir William Henry Perkin, to be pre­sented by Sir Robert Robinson at the International Day Luncheon, Sept. 10, opening the Perkin Centennial Cele­bration in New York.

Sir Robert Robinson: Perkins Centennial Keynoter

il03i-i<SGN is no oui an­ger to scientists in any country. His illustrious career and countless contributions to organic chemistry have been heralded on many occa­sions. C&EN paid him particular tribote on May 5, 1947, and Sept. 21, 1953—in the latter issue upon his award of the Priestley Medal.

One of Sir Robert's greatest dis­coveries, however, is not as well known to scientists—that of his dis­covery of perpetual youth. Other now great chemists, who were his colleagues when he was a research student in Perkin's laboratory in Manchester some 5 0 years ago, per­ceive no weakening of his faculties. He lias now, as then, a phenomenal meoriory. At that time, they found it a great advantage not to have to consult the index of the then 4-vol-ume Beilstein, but to "ask Robin­son/' who could turn to the page without using the index. To these colleagues Lis subsequent success has been no surprise. They recog­nized that he had unique gifts—a view shared by W. H. Perkin, Jr. Perldn and Robinson were an ideal combination, and dieir collaboration continued until Perkin's death in 1928.

After receiving the Priestley Medal, Sir Eobert and Lady Robin­son visited Japan as guests of the Japanese Chemical Society. The sudden death of Lady Robinson two years ago was a blow from which he L·as not fully recovered.

Mew honors have continued to corne Sir Robert's way. He has been appointed Hon. Fellow, Mag­dalen College, Oxford, and last year received an Hon. D.Sc. from Oxford. He has continued his work in i l ie alkaloid field, and at last year's IUPAC Congress in Zurich read a paper, the "Synthesis of Brizilin,,, a stepping stone from his earliest work with W. H. Perkin, Jr.

Last year Sir Robert retired from the Waynflete Chair of Chemistry at Oxford, which he had occupied for nearly 30 years. H e has now transferred his activities to the field of industrial chemistry. He is a director of Shell Chemical Co. Ltd. and, in addition, a consultant to the Shell group of companies. He has an office at 170 Picadilly in London and a laboratory in the Shell Tech­nical Services Laboratory at Eg-ham, dedicated this year. Apart from its location there, his labora­

tory is not a part of the service laboratories and he enjoys full free­dom in his research.

Prior to undertaking these new responsibilities in industry, Sir Robert presided last September at the Bristol meeting of the British Association for Advancement of Science, giving as his presidential address, "Science and the Scien­tist."

In no other country has die im­portance of Sir William Perkin's discovery of mauveine and its im­pact on the organic chemical indus­try been more fully recognized than in the United States. This was shown at the meeting held in New York in 1906 celebrating the 50th anniversary of his discovery, when Sir William himself was present. For the Centennial Celebrations sponsored by the American Associa­tion of Technical Chemists and Colorists under the Chairmanship of Raymond W. Jacoby, no more suitable guest speaker could have been chosen than Sir Robert. He has inherited from his teacher, Wil­liam Henry Perkin, Jr., the true Perkin spirit.

Robinson's genius has enabled him to contribute to distinct fields of organic chemistry. As is gener­ally well known, our present view of the mechanism of the formation of natural products, recently sur­veyed in his book, "Structural Rela­tions of Natural Products," was originally projected in 1917.

It is, however, less fully realized that we owe to Sir Robert the whole genesis of the modern theo­ries of the mechanism of organic re­action. The development of elec­tronic theory in organic chemistry stemmed very largely from theories he advanced during 1920-26.

The science of organic chemistry is young—barely 100 years old—and over the last 50 years no chemist lias labored more successfully for its advancement than Sir Robert.

In honor of his 70th birthday an­niversary, a book will be dedicated to Sir Robert, "Perspectives in Or­ganic Chemistry," edited by Sir Alexander Todd. Each of the au­thors, all of them top-flight organic chemists, has written on some broad branch of organic chemistry, giving its history and describing its present and possible future status. To be published by Interscience, the book will be ready for Sir Robert's anni­versary, Sept. 13.

SEPT. 10, 1956 C&EN 4 3 8 1

PEOPLE

i INDUSTRY search and development division of Humble Oil & Refining's Bay town, Tex., r#»tin*»rv

Nellson R. Adams joins Universal Oil Products" commercial development di­vision. From M. W. Kellogg Co.

J. A. Anderson, Jr. promoted to re­search associate, and E. W. Bowerman, to assistant division head in the re-

Frank J. Annecchiarico appointed supervisor of chemistry laboratory at St. MichaeFs Hospital, Newark, N. J.

Eugene C. Ashby joins Ethyl's chem­ical research section as research chem­ist in the company's Detroit laborato­ries. From Du Pont.

L. J. Berberich appointed to West-

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inghouse's materials engineering de­partment as technical advisor on insula­tion and chemical engineering. He will continue his former responsibilities associated with the company's insula­tion coordinating committee and Dow-Corning liaison cornmittee.

T. Gaynor Blake joins Universal Match Corp/s armament division as as­sistant director of research and devel­opment. From Mathieson's explosives division.

Robert D . Blum, Jr. joins Tycora's technical research and development department.

Arthur L. Boschen v p and controller, Vick Chemical Co., reelected v p of Controllership Foundation, Inc. C . R. Fay, vp and controller, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., reappointed trustee. Elected trustee for first time, Ronello B . Lewis, v p and controller, Olin Mathieson Corp.

John C. Carr joins Stanolind Oil & Gas' development department. From Commercial Solvents.

Walter L. Clark joins the food tech­nology department of Cyanamid's re­search division at Pearl River, Ν . Υ. Formerly assistant professor in the de­partment of biochemistry and School of Nutrition at Cornell.

James R. Colvin appointed director of research and engineering at Central Farmers Fertilizer Co., in Chicago. From Olin Mathieson.

Robert F. Connelly named west coast field salesman for the organic chemical sales department of Emery Industries.

Michael F. Coyne, president, Cali­fornia Oxygen Co., named director of Pacific Oxygen Co., Ltd., Melbourne, Australia.

Michael Czuha, Jr. resigns from Arn­old O. Beckman to join Consolidated Klectrodynamics Corp., Pasadena, as research chemist.

George T. Davis joins Esso Research and Engineering Co/s chemicals re­search division.

Howard M. Dess appointed research chemist at Pennsalt,s Whitemarsh re­search laboratory. From Electro Metallurgical Co.

Arthur C. Diesing appointed to organic research department of Wy­andotte's research and engineering division.

William A. Dow, Jr., joins Parke, Davis & Co. as assistant research chem­ist.

Morris Eisenberg joins Termo Mate­rials as vp in charge of research.

4 3 8 2 C & E N SEPT. 10, 19 56

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PEOPLE

William S. Em­erson joins Ameri­can Potash and Chemical as man­ager of research at t h e c o m p a n y ' s Whittier, Calif., re­search laboratory. Emerson leaves Monsanto where he was assistant

development director.

Jay H. Forrester will become presi­dent of Amoco Chemicals Corp. when the consolidation of Standard Oil's (Ind.) three chemical subsidiaries be­comes effective late this year.

D. H. Francis appointed director of engineering and William O. Ranky, di­rector of laboratories, at Stepan Chemi­cal Co. in Chicago.

Robert C. Freeman appointed to re-

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search department of Monsanto's or­ganic chemicals division.

Eugene Garfield establishes the firm, Docixmentation, ' and continues his consiuting services with Smith, Kline, and French. He will present an ACS continuation course in chemical docu­mentation for the Philadelphia Section in October.

Thornton R. Cebensleben named chemist in the works laboratory, and Frank P. Welkner, Jr. appointed chem­ical engineer in process study group of Hooker Electrochemical.

Carl C. Georgian named group leader in the technical service division of Ajmerican Oil's research and devel­opment department.

Aaron P. Greifer resigns from GE's electronics laboratory and becomes senior member of RCA's technical staff at tbe advanced development labora­tory.

Lou Ann Hall and Fred J. Heinsel-manii join Esso Research and Engi­neering.

I>avid R. Hammel joins Esso Re­search and Engineering Co/s Enjay laboratories division.

Mack C. Harvey joins Celanese Corp.'s research and development de­partment as research chemist.

Joseph F. Haseman promoted to principal research engineer at Interna­tional Minerals and Chemical Corp.'s research department in Mulberry, Fla.

Carl E . Heath, Jr. joins Esso Re­search and Engineering Co.'s process research division.

Olin M. Herner promoted to chemi­cal engineer at Commercial Solvents. He joined the company in 1941 and was recently department head of CSC's Terre Haute riboflavin plant.

Honorary Degrees Go to Chemical Executives

Sidney M. Edelstein, president, Dex­ter Chemical Corporation; Fred J. Em­merich, president, Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation; H. F. Mark, director, Polymer Research Institute, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn; August Merz, Calco Chemical Division, American Cyanamid Company will be among six men to receive honorary doctor of sci­ence degrees conferred by the Lowell Technological Institute Sept. 27 at a special convocation in observance of the Perkin Centennial. The other two

| are U. S. Sen. John F. Kennedy and | David W. Connors of the Lowell Sun.

4 3 8 4 C&EN SEPT. 10, 19 56

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PEOPLE

Eric R. Jette resigns from Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory to join Union Carbide and Carbon. H e was leader of the laboratory's chemistry and metal­lurgy division which has now been divided into two divisions headed by Robert D. Fowler and Richard D. Baker.

James R. Johnson appointed tech­nical coordinator of Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing's atomic energy pro­gram.

Frank L. Jones appointed assistant manager of research and T. E . Rob .ns, administrative assistant in the research department of Koppers Co.

Arthur J. Kidnay, Jr. and Gene E. Lightner join Monsanto's plastics di­vision.

Sherman C. Lashua joins Dow Chemical's styrene polymerization labo­ratory in Midland, Mich., as chemist.

) EDUCATION

Albert C. Beer appointed assistant technical director at Battelle Institute.

Joseph David Berman named lec­turer at Harpur College in tJhe chemis­try department.

S. Earll Church promoted from as­sistant professor to associate professor at State University College of Forestry at Syracuse University.

Leallyn B. Clapp, professor of chem­istry, Brown University, receives honor­ary degree, Doctor of Pedagogy, from Eastern Illinois State College.

Gerald Corsaro promoted from assist­ant professor to associate professor of chemistry at the University of Akron.

G· Raymond Hood appointed pro­fessor of chemistry and natural science at Blackburn College, Carlinville, 111. From Pennsylvania State Teachers Col­lege, East Stroudsburg, Pa.

H. F. Johnstone appointed research professor of chemical engineering at University of Illinois. He is presently on a yea^s leave of absence because of ill health.

Gerald E . McTigue becomes teach­ing assistant at Georgetown's College of Arts and Sciences.

Bernard Misek receives Ph.D. at University of Connecticut and joins University of Houston, College of Phar­macy, as assistant professor of phar­macy.

C & E N S Γ; ρ Τ. 10. 1956 4386

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