Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson
Born	13 September 1886 Chesterfield, England
Died	8 February 1975 (aged 88) Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England
Nationality	United Kingdom
Fields	Organic chemistry
Institutions	University of Sydney University of Liverpool British Dyestuffs Corporation University of Manchester University of London University of Oxford
Alma mater	University of Manchester
Doctoral advisor	William Henry Perkin, Jr.
Doctoral students	Arthur John Birch William Sage Rapson
Known for	Development of Organic synthesis
Notable awards	Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1947)

Sir Robert Robinson OM, PRS (13 September 1886 – 8 February 1975) was an English chemist and Nobel laureate recognised in 1947 for his research on plant dyestuffs (anthocyanins) and alkaloids.

Biography

Early life

Robinson went to school at the Chesterfield Grammar School, the private Fulneck School and the University of Manchester. He was the Waynflete Professor of Chemistry at Oxford University from 1930 and a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.

Robinson Close in the Science Area at Oxford is named after him^[1], as is the Robert Robinson Laboratory at the University of Liverpool.

Research

His synthesis of tropinone, a precursor of cocaine, in 1917 was not only a big step in alkaloid chemistry but also showed that tandem reactions in a one-pot synthesis are capable of forming bicyclic molecules.^{[2] [3]}

He is also known for discovering the molecular structures of morphine and penicillin.

References

1. ^ "Science Area". www.ox.ac.uk. http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/maps_and_directions/science_area.html. Retrieved 2009-06-12. 
2. ^ R. Robinson (1917). "A synthesis of tropinone". Journal of the Chemical Society, Transaction 111: 762–768. doi:10.1039/CT9171100762. 
3. ^ Arthur John Birch (1993). "Investigating a Scientific Legend: The Tropinone Synthesis of Sir Robert Robinson, F.R.S". Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London 47 (2): 277–296. doi:10.1098/rsnr.1993.0034. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0035-9149%28199307%2947%3A2%3C277%3AIASLTT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X. 

• Abraham E. P. (1987). "Sir Robert Robinson and the early history of penicillin". Nat Prod Rep. 4 (1): 41–46. doi:10.1039/np9870400041. 
• Lord Todd; J. W. Cornforth (1976). "Robert Robinson 13 September 1886 - 8 February 1975". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 22: 414–527. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1976.0018. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0080-4606%28197611%2922%3C414%3ARR1S1-%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N. .
• M. D. Saltzman (1987). "The development of Sir Robert Robinson's contributions to theoretical organic chemistry". Nat. Prod. Rep. 4: 53–60. doi:10.1039/NP9870400053. 

External links

• Nobel Lecture Some Polycyclic Natural Products from Nobelprize.org website
• Biography Biography from Nobelprize.org website

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