This Week in Chemistry: June 30 - July 6

June 30, 2008 at 01:36 AM

Analtech, Inc. is proud to provide this public service feature - This Week in Chemistry - a recap of major breakthroughs in chemistry as well as the commemoration of key individuals birthdates.

Analtech thanks Dr. Leopold May of The Catholic University of America forproviding this information - you can visit his web site by clicking here.

June 30

b. 1926 Paul Berg, researcher in recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); Nobel Prize (1980) for his fundamental studies of the biochemistry of nucleic acids, with particular regard to recombinant-DNA with Walter Gilbert & Frederick Sanger for their contributions concerning the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids.

 

 

July 1

b. 1740 Müller von Reichenstein discovered tellurium (Te, 52) 1782.

b. 1929 Gerald M. Edelman, researcher in structure of antibodies; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Rodney R. Porter for their discoveries concerning the chemical structure of antibodies (1972); "Father of Experimental Medicine".

o J. T. Baker incorporated originally as Vick Chemical, 1919.

o First nuclear rocket engine successfully tested, 1959.

o Office of Standard Weights and Measures became National Bureau of Standards, 1901; renamed National Institute of Standards and Technology, 1988


July 2

b. 1909 Alexandre Zaitsev introduced rules about elimination of hydrogen halides from alkyl haloanhydrides & water from alcohols; first synthesized secondary alcohols.

b. 1862 William H. Bragg, researcher in x-rays & crystal structure; Nobel Prize in Physics (1915) with son, W. Lawrence Bragg for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays.

o Fritz Haber demonstrated process of nitrogen fixation to Badische Aniline und Soda-Fabrik, 1909.

o Naval Research Laboratory founded as the Naval Experimental and Research Laboratory, 1923.


July 3

b. 1876 Sergei S. Nametkin, researcher in terpene chemistry & rearrangement of camphenes.

b. 1919 Samuel P. Massie, Jr., research on environmental agents; encouraged disadvantaged students into science careers.

o Antoine-Jerome Balard announced discovery of bromine (Br, 35) to Académie de Sciences, Paris, 1826.


July 4

b. 1888 Selman A. Waksman isolated streptomycin, 1943; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1952) for his discovery of streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis.

b. 1906 Vincent Joseph Schaefer, invented "cloud-seeding," artificially causing rain or snow using dry ice pellets; investigated the physics of precipitation; died 25 Jul 1993.


July 5

b. 1853 Hendrik A. Lorentz, researcher in kinetic theory and thermodynamics; explained the Zeeman effect; shared the Nobel Prize in Physics (1902) with Pieter Zeeman in recognition of the extraordinary service they rendered by their researches into the influence of magnetism upon radiation phenomena.

b. 1891 John H. Northrop, researcher on purifying enzymes; discovered fermentation process for manufacture of acetone; Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1946) with Wendell M. Stanley & James B. Sumner for their preparation of enzymes and virus proteins in a pure form.

o Announcement of synthesis of vitamin B1 by Robert R. Williams of Merck, Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, 1936.

o American Cyanamid Company organized, 1907.


July 6

b. 1810 James C. Booth devised methods for refining gold-silver bullion at U. S. Mint, Philadelphia; one of the founding members of ACS and served as President from 1883-1884.

b. 1903 Axel Hugo Theodor Theorell, researched oxidation enzymes; Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine (1955) for his discoveries concerning the nature and mode of action of oxidation enzymes.