A Portrait of the Chemist as an Artist

Abstract

Robert Burns Woodward, considered one of the greatest synthetic organic chemists of all times, carried out much of the fundamental work on the synthesis of steroids, strychnine, chlorophyll, quinine, reserpine, cortisone, vitamin B12, and several other areas of chemistry during the middle of the twentieth century. He is also famous for the structure elucidation of Oxytetracycline (terramycin), carbomycin (magnamycin), penicillin, patulin, santonic acid, calycanthine, aureomycin, and ferrocene. He planned syntheses of organic molecules and natural products more systematically than anyone ever imagined before him. A perfect blend of his innate mastery of the subject, his perspective towards the molecular architecture of an organic molecule, the use of modern analytical instrumentation, and his methodical research approach incorporating the latest theories helped him attain a great reputation among the chemistry fraternity. He had almost one hundred and ninety-six publications to his credit; on the syntheses of compounds of biological and medicinal importance, structure determination of complex natural products, and theories connecting synthetic organic chemistry and quantum mechanics. Apart from numerous publications, he received twenty-six medals and awards including the National Medal of Science in 1964, the Nobel Prize in 1965, and the Arthur C. Cope Award in 1973 (he was one of the first recipients of this award). This information is not everything to prove his brilliance. This magnificent scientist had received more than twenty-four honorary degrees from reputed institutions around the globe. Almost two hundred doctoral and postdoctoral students were blessed to carry out research under his supervision, who carried forth the legacy of this extraordinary chemist. The objective of this manuscript is to briefly introduce the life and research of Robert Burns Woodward to young students.