਀吀栀攀 一漀戀攀氀 倀爀椀稀攀 椀渀 䌀栀攀洀椀猀琀爀礀  ㄀㤀㐀㜀 㰀⼀栀㈀㸀

਀ ਀ 㰀椀洀最 愀氀椀最渀㴀爀椀最栀琀 戀漀爀搀攀爀㴀㈀ 猀爀挀㴀∀㄀⸀最椀昀∀㸀

਀䔀一䜀䰀䤀匀䠀 伀刀䜀䄀一䤀䌀 䌀䠀䔀䴀䤀匀吀 18861975਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 An acknowledged giant of twentieth-century organic chemistry, Robert Robinson authored 700 research papers that continue to influence the way organic chemists think about synthesis, natural products, and reaction mechanisms. He received many awards during his sixty-year career, including the 1947 Nobel Prize in chemistry "for his investigations on plant products of biological importance, especially the alkaloids."਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Robinson was born on September 13, 1886, near Chesterfield, England. His father owned a surgical dressing factory and invented many of the machines used to produce and package such dressings. In high school Robinson excelled in mathematics and physics and hoped to become a mathematician. However, his father encouraged him to study chemistry instead, so Robinson accepted the inevitable and entered the chemistry program at the University of Manchester.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Robinson received his D.Sc. from Manchester in 1910 and lectured there for two additional years. He then accepted successive academic appointments at Sydney, Liverpool, Manchester, London, and finally Oxford University.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Today chemists use computer-driven instruments to determine the structures of unknown organic compounds. In Robinson's era, however, chemists relied less on instruments and more on degrading the compound into smaller, less complex fragments and then piecing them back together again. Using these techniques, Robinson determined the structures of complex alkaloids and worked on the antibiotic penicillin during World War II. His work on the structure of strychnine (see Figure 1) is still regarded as an outstanding example of molecular puzzle solving.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 After structure comes synthesis, and modern chemists synthesize complex medicines and other important compounds using ideas originated by Robinson. But organic synthesis was in its infancy when Robinson started out, and in his stunning synthesis of tropinone (a compound related to cocaine) in 1917, he introduced a novel strategy for preparing complex organic compounds. On paper, Robinson disconnected, or broke, certain bonds in tropinone and arrived at three simpler building blocks. He then went to the laboratory, where he combined the three building blocks using਀ ਀ ਀ ਀䘀椀最甀爀攀 ㄀⸀ 匀琀爀礀挀栀渀椀渀攀⸀ ਀㰀椀洀最 愀氀椀最渀㴀爀椀最栀琀 猀爀挀㴀∀㈀⸀樀瀀最∀㸀 ਀䘀椀最甀爀攀 ㈀⸀ 䌀甀爀氀礀 愀爀爀漀眀猀⸀ 䔀⬀ 㴀 愀渀 攀氀攀挀琀爀漀瀀栀椀氀攀 ⠀愀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀 挀漀洀瀀漀甀渀搀 漀爀 最爀漀甀瀀 琀栀愀琀 椀猀 愀琀琀爀愀挀琀攀搀 琀漀 攀氀攀挀琀爀漀渀猀 愀渀搀 琀攀渀搀猀 琀漀 愀挀挀攀瀀琀 琀栀攀洀⤀⸀ 

਀猀琀愀渀搀愀爀搀 瀀爀漀挀攀搀甀爀攀猀 愀渀搀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀攀搀 琀爀漀瀀椀渀漀渀攀⸀ 吀栀椀猀 瀀爀漀挀攀猀猀 椀猀 渀漀眀 挀愀氀氀攀搀 爀攀琀爀漀最爀愀搀攀 猀礀渀琀栀攀猀椀猀⸀

਀䈀攀挀愀甀猀攀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 眀愀渀琀攀搀 琀漀 琀愀欀攀 愀 猀礀猀琀攀洀愀琀椀挀 愀瀀瀀爀漀愀挀栀 琀漀 漀爀最愀渀椀挀 猀礀渀琀栀攀猀椀猀Ⰰ 栀攀 搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀攀搀 愀 猀攀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀漀爀攀琀椀挀愀氀 琀漀漀氀猀 琀漀 瀀爀攀搀椀挀琀 琀栀攀 漀甀琀挀漀洀攀猀 漀昀 漀爀最愀渀椀挀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀⸀ 䴀愀渀礀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀 搀爀甀最猀 愀渀搀 渀愀琀甀爀愀氀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀 挀漀渀琀愀椀渀 猀甀戀猀琀椀琀甀琀攀搀 戀攀渀稀攀渀攀 爀椀渀最猀Ⰰ 猀漀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 戀攀最愀渀 栀椀猀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 戀礀 琀爀礀椀渀最 琀漀 瀀爀攀搀椀挀琀 琀栀攀 漀甀琀挀漀洀攀猀 漀昀 猀甀戀猀琀椀琀甀琀椀漀渀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀 椀渀 戀攀渀稀攀渀攀 搀攀爀椀瘀愀琀椀瘀攀猀⸀ 䠀攀 愀渀搀 栀椀猀 眀椀昀攀Ⰰ 䜀攀爀琀爀甀搀攀Ⰰ 猀甀挀挀攀猀猀昀甀氀氀礀 攀砀瀀氀愀椀渀攀搀 漀渀攀 挀氀愀猀猀 漀昀 猀甀戀猀琀椀琀甀琀椀漀渀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀 椀渀 愀 ㄀㤀㄀㜀 瀀愀瀀攀爀 戀甀琀 眀攀爀攀 甀渀愀戀氀攀 琀漀 瀀爀漀瘀椀搀攀 愀 最攀渀攀爀愀氀 琀栀攀漀爀礀⸀

਀唀猀椀渀最 椀搀攀愀猀 搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀攀搀 椀渀 䄀爀琀栀甀爀 䰀愀瀀眀漀爀琀栀✀猀 ㄀㤀㈀㈀ 瀀愀瀀攀爀Ⰰ 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 搀攀瘀椀猀攀搀 愀 渀攀眀 琀栀攀漀爀礀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㈀㐀 琀栀愀琀 攀砀瀀氀愀椀渀攀搀 琀栀攀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀爀礀 漀昀 甀渀猀愀琀甀爀愀琀攀搀 猀礀猀琀攀洀猀 猀甀挀栀 愀猀 戀攀渀稀攀渀攀 愀渀搀 ㄀Ⰰ㐀ⴀ戀甀琀愀搀椀攀渀攀 ⠀愀 昀漀甀爀ⴀ挀愀爀戀漀渀 挀栀愀椀渀 眀椀琀栀 愀氀琀攀爀渀愀琀椀渀最 搀漀甀戀氀攀 戀漀渀搀猀⤀⸀ 唀猀椀渀最 栀椀猀 渀攀眀 琀栀攀漀爀礀Ⰰ 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 猀甀挀挀攀猀猀昀甀氀氀礀 瀀爀攀搀椀挀琀攀搀 琀栀攀 漀甀琀挀漀洀攀猀 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀猀攀 甀渀猀愀琀甀爀愀琀攀搀 猀礀猀琀攀洀猀⸀ 䄀渀搀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 琀椀洀攀 攀瘀攀爀Ⰰ 栀攀 甀猀攀搀 挀甀爀氀礀 愀爀爀漀眀猀 琀漀 猀栀漀眀 琀栀攀 搀椀猀琀爀椀戀甀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 攀氀攀挀琀爀漀渀猀 椀渀 挀漀渀樀甀最愀琀攀搀 猀礀猀琀攀洀猀 愀渀搀 琀漀 瀀爀攀搀椀挀琀 猀甀戀猀琀椀琀甀琀椀漀渀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀 椀渀 戀攀渀稀攀渀攀 愀渀愀氀漀最猀⸀ 䠀愀爀搀氀礀 愀 搀愀礀 最漀攀猀 戀礀 眀栀攀渀 愀 洀漀搀攀爀渀 漀爀最愀渀椀挀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀 搀漀攀猀 渀漀琀 甀猀攀 挀甀爀氀礀 愀爀爀漀眀猀 琀漀 攀砀瀀氀愀椀渀 愀 爀攀愀挀琀椀漀渀 洀攀挀栀愀渀椀猀洀 漀爀 琀漀 瀀氀愀渀 愀 猀礀渀琀栀攀琀椀挀 爀漀甀琀攀⸀

਀䄀氀琀栀漀甀最栀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 挀漀渀猀椀搀攀爀攀搀 琀栀攀 挀甀爀氀礀 愀爀爀漀眀 挀漀渀挀攀瀀琀 栀椀猀 洀漀猀琀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀 挀漀渀琀爀椀戀甀琀椀漀渀 琀漀 欀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀Ⰰ 昀攀眀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀猀 欀渀漀眀 栀攀 椀渀瘀攀渀琀攀搀 椀琀⸀ 䴀漀猀琀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀猀 愀琀琀爀椀戀甀琀攀 琀栀攀 搀椀猀挀漀瘀攀爀礀 琀漀 䌀栀爀椀猀琀漀瀀栀攀爀 䤀渀最漀氀搀⸀ 䤀渀最漀氀搀 攀洀戀爀愀挀攀搀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀✀猀 椀搀攀愀猀 愀渀搀 漀瘀攀爀 琀椀洀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀搀 猀漀 洀愀渀礀 漀昀 栀椀猀 漀眀渀 爀攀氀愀琀攀搀 瀀愀瀀攀爀猀 琀栀愀琀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀猀 琀攀渀搀攀搀 琀漀 漀瘀攀爀氀漀漀欀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀✀猀 最爀漀甀渀搀戀爀攀愀欀椀渀最 眀漀爀欀⸀ 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 渀攀瘀攀爀 昀漀爀最愀瘀攀 䤀渀最漀氀搀 昀漀爀 琀愀欀椀渀最 挀爀攀搀椀琀 昀漀爀 栀椀猀 椀搀攀愀猀⸀

਀刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 爀攀琀椀爀攀搀 昀爀漀洀 伀砀昀漀爀搀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㔀㔀 戀甀琀 爀攀洀愀椀渀攀搀 愀挀琀椀瘀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 昀椀攀氀搀 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀猀琀爀礀⸀ 䤀渀 栀椀猀 礀漀甀渀最攀爀 搀愀礀猀 栀攀 挀氀椀洀戀攀搀 琀栀攀 䄀氀瀀猀Ⰰ 倀礀爀攀渀攀攀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 洀愀樀漀爀 洀漀甀渀琀愀椀渀猀 椀渀 一攀眀 娀攀愀氀愀渀搀 愀渀搀 一漀爀眀愀礀⸀ 䌀栀攀猀猀 眀愀猀 愀渀漀琀栀攀爀 漀昀 栀椀猀 瀀愀猀猀椀漀渀猀㨀 刀漀戀椀渀猀漀渀 猀瀀攀渀琀 琀栀爀攀攀 礀攀愀爀猀 愀猀 瀀爀攀猀椀搀攀渀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 䈀爀椀琀椀猀栀 䌀栀攀猀猀 䘀攀搀攀爀愀琀椀漀渀⸀ 䠀攀 搀椀攀搀 漀渀 䘀攀戀爀甀愀爀礀 㠀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㜀㔀⸀ ਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 ਀ ਀ ਀ Sir Robert Robinson was born at Rufford, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire on September 13th, 1886, the son of William Bradbury Robinson, a surgical dressing manufacturer who invented his own machines for the production of lint, bandages, etc., and the cardboard boxes for packaging them. He was educated at the Chesterfield Grammar School, Fulneck School, near Leeds, and at Manchester University where he graduated B.Sc. in 1906 and D.Sc. in 1910.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In 1912, he was appointed the first Professor of Pure and Applied Organic Chemistry in the University of Sydney. He returned to Britain in 1915 to take the Chair in Organic Chemistry at the University of Liverpool until 1920 when he accepted an appointment as Director of Research at the British Dyestuffs Corporation. One year later, he became Professor of Chemistry at St. Andrews and in 1922 he took the Chair in Organic Chemistry at Manchester University until 1928 when he accepted a similar post in the University of London. In 1930, he was appointed Waynflete Professor of Chemistry, Oxford University, where he remained until his retirement in 1955 when he was appointed Emeritus Professor and Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College. He has been a Director of the Shell Chemical Company and a chemical consultant since 1955.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Sir Robert has been a member of over thirty Government Committees and chairman of some of them. He was a United Kingdom delegate to the first Conference of UNESCO in 1947. He was knighted in 1939 and appointed to the Order of Merit in 1949.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Robinson's extensive researches in organic chemistry have dealt not only with the structure and synthesis of many organic bodies, but also with the electrochemical mechanism of organic reactions. His interest in the chemical constitution of plant dyestuffs (anthocyanins) soon extended to another group of vegetable bodies, the alkaloids, where the whole series of his researches are remarkable for their brilliant syntheses. He contributed greatly towards the definition of the arrangement of atoms within molecules of morphine, papaverine, narcotine, etc. These discoveries led to the successful production of certain antimalarial drugs (they are reported in numerous scientific papers, mainly in the Journal of the Chemical Society).਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 Sir Robert, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and of the Royal Society was President of The Chemical Society, 1939-1941; of the Royal Society, 1945-1950; of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1955; and of the Society for the Chemical Industry, 1958. He is a Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur and holds Honorary Doctorates of over twenty British and foreign universities. He has been honoured by The Chemical Society (Longstaff, Faraday and Flintoff Medals), the Royal Society (Davy, Royal and Copley Medals) and the Swiss, American, French and German Chemical Societies; he has also been awarded the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, the Albert Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Arts and the Medal of Freedom (U.S. Government). Sir Robert is Corresponding Member, Honorary Fellow, Foreign Member, Associate or Correspondant of almost fifty British and foreign learned societies.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In 1962, The Chemical Society honoured Sir Robert by establishing a Robert Robinson Lectureship, to be delivered biennially in lieu of the usual Presidential Address.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In 1912 Sir Robert married Gertrude Maud Walsh, a fellow student at Manchester University. They collaborated in several fields of chemical research, notably in a survey of anthocyanins. She died in 1954; they had one son and one daughter. In 1957, he married Stearn Sylvia Hillstrom (née Hershey) of New York.਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 In his younger days, Sir Robert was a keen mountaineer, having climbed in the Alps, Pyrenees, Norway and New Zealand, and he is an ardent chess player being President of the British Chess Federation, 1950-1953. His hobbies also include photography and music਀㰀⼀瀀㸀㰀瀀㸀 ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀ ਀