Where is organic chemistry going?
- Creators
- Roberts, John D.
Abstract
As I tried to organize my thoughts to fit my title, I realized that I don't know where organic chemistry is going. If I did, I'd be out trying to get there before everyone else does. So I thought about how to predict where it might go. How do you predict where anything is going? If it is nearly at a standstill, it is difficult indeed to predict where it Is going. If it is moving, the safest prediction is that it will keep moving, at least for a while, in the same direction. Many of our chemical pundits seem to be saying, "Organic chemistry isn't moving much these days; it's a staid, old, finished, complete science, and the real action is elsewhere." Well, if this is so, if it is really at a standstill, I will only be able to predict that it will remain at a standstill. But is this true? Is organic chemistry really not moving? Clearly, the best way to decide is to look at some of the things that are happening, to see if there is still a faint pulse of life left. This, then, is what I want to do: examine some of the recent trends and developments, which I have found interesting, indeed, exciting. At the same time, I would like to comment on some general problems.
Additional Information
© 1973 American Chemical Society. It is a great privilege for me to accept the 1972 Nichols Medal. My acceptance is not just for myself, but for a long list of able teachers one of the most prominent being Paul Bartlett, who provided a large measure of the impetus that lead me into successful lines of research. I am accepting for a wonderful and productive group of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows and I am accepting for my wife Edith, whose unselfish and untiring efforts on my behalf over the last thirty years have made all of this possible.Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 61695
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20151028-144810497
- Created
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2015-10-29Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2019-10-03Created from EPrint's last_modified field