Herbert C. Brown

Herbert Charles Brown (May 22, 1912 – December 19, 2004) was an American chemist renowned for his work in organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry, and a co-recipient of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of the use of boron-containing compounds into important reagents in organic synthesis, a field now known as hydroboration. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the synthesis of new organic compounds and contributed significantly to the development of new drugs and materials.

Early Life and Education

Herbert C. Brown was born in London, England, but his family moved to Chicago, Illinois, when he was two years old. He developed an interest in chemistry while in high school. Brown attended Wright Junior College and later received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Chicago in 1936. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the same institution in 1938, where he studied under the guidance of Julius Stieglitz.

Career

After completing his Ph.D., Brown began his academic career at the University of Chicago as an instructor. In 1947, he moved to Purdue University, where he would spend the majority of his career. At Purdue, Brown's research focused on the chemistry of boron and its compounds. His most notable achievement was the development of hydroboration, a method that allows for the direct addition of boron and hydrogen across the double bond of alkenes to form organoboranes, which are versatile intermediates in organic synthesis.

Brown's work on hydroboration opened up new pathways for the synthesis of a wide range of organic compounds, including pharmaceuticals, plastics, and other materials. His research has had a profound impact on both academic and industrial chemistry.

Nobel Prize

In 1979, Herbert C. Brown was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, shared with Georg Wittig, for their development of the use of boron- and phosphorus-containing compounds, respectively, into important reagents in organic synthesis. Brown's contribution was specifically recognized for his work on hydroboration, which has become a fundamental technique in organic chemistry.

Legacy

Herbert C. Brown's contributions to chemistry have been widely recognized and honored. In addition to the Nobel Prize, he received numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of Science in 1969 and the Priestley Medal in 1981, the highest honor bestowed by the American Chemical Society. Brown was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Brown's legacy continues through the Herbert C. Brown Lectureship at Purdue University, established to honor his contributions to the field of chemistry. His work has left an indelible mark on the scientific community, influencing generations of chemists and advancing the field of organic synthesis.

Selected Publications

• Brown, H.C., "Hydroboration: A New and Selective Method of Hydrogenation", Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1979.
• Brown, H.C., et al., "Organoboranes for Syntheses", ACS Monograph Series, 1980.

See Also

• Organic synthesis
• Boron chemistry
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Purdue University