American biochemist Robert Burns Woodword was born in Boston (Massachusetts), in the family of Margaret (Burns) Woodward and Arthur Chester Woodvord. His father died a year after the birth of the Son. Being a child, Woodword spent a lot of time at work in the home chemical laboratory. At the age of 16 he graduated high School Quincy. Already then the striking knowledge of organic chemistry allocated Woodvord among scientific college students. When in 1933 he, having received a scholarship, entered the Massachusetts Technological Institute, allowed him to make a schedule itself. He was also given the opportunity to work in a laboratory over independently planned hormone studies. In 1936, Woodword received a bachelor's degree in natural sciences, and in 1937 - a doctoral degree.

During the summer semester of 1937, Woodword was engaged in Illinois University, and then entered Harvard, becoming an assistant Elmer P. Kochler, head of department organic Chemistry. He stayed at Harvard to the end of his scientific career, having passed the way from the professor's assistant in 1944 to a full professor in 1950 (Adjunct-Professor Woodward became in 1946). In 1953 and 1960. He was awarded honorary professorship ranks. The person who later responded to as "the greatest specialist of his time in the field of synthetic and structural organic chemistry", Woodward made his first contribution to the chemistry, being a Polaroid Corporation consultant during World War II. The war caused a lack of quinine, a valuable antimaryary preparation, which is also used in the manufacture of lenses. Having standard equipment and easily accessible materials, Woodword and his colleague William E. Döring in 1944. For the first time, the chinin was synthesized after only 14 months of work. It is characteristic that Woodvord method was to start with a simple molecule and, adding or eliminating carbon atoms, form the basis of the desired product. Then he "tied" lateral groups to complete the structure of the required molecule. In the case of quinine, 17 transformations were used in this process to create a carbon structure and many more reactions to reproduce the natural properties of quinine.

Three years later, in collaboration with the chemist, K. G. Scramm Woodward created a protein analogue, connecting the links of amino acids into a long chain. The resulting polypeptides, which were used in the production of plastics and artificial antibiotics, became a valuable tool for studying the metabolism of proteins. In 1951, Woodword was headed by the first research group, which began to synthesize steroids. An example of their extremely complex structure can serve cholesterol and cortisone. Woodword continued to carry out the impossible syntheses, and some of them, such as Strichnin synthesis, failed to repeat. Among the compounds that he received were chlorophyll, Lanosician, Lenginic acid, reserpine, prostaglandin F2A, colchicine and vitamin B12.

Part of this work was carried out at Woodvord Research Institute in Basel (Switzerland), which was established in 1963 Siba Corporation. The institute was named after a scientist, he was his director, combining this post with work at Harvard University. Under his leadership, scientists and staff of the institute synthesized many compounds that were used in industry. One of these most significant compounds was non-alporeline C, antibiotic type of penicillin, applied against infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Woodword died, without completing work on the synthesis of erythromycin antibiotic.

Although Woodward is most famous thanks to its synthesis works, its contribution to organic chemistry is much wider and fundamental. When he started his scientific career, the principles of organic chemistry were already firmly established. The tetrahedral structure of carbon, the nature of the side chains attached to it and their chemical activity were known. The analysis of unknown substances was based on classical methods that began their origin in the XIX century. After the connection was decomposed on the components and these components were identified, on the basis of reactions in which this substance entitled, a conclusion was made about its structure.

Woodword made a revolution in the application of the methods of physical chemistry. It used the electronic theory of the structure of molecules for analyzing the reaction mechanism and the prediction of the exit of final products, which is absolutely necessary when planning organic synthesis. The scientist popularized the use of spectroscopy for faster and accurate clarification of the molecular structure. The rule that establishes the relationship between the ultraviolet spectrum, the number and type of bonds between carbon atoms and side groups, is its name. In collaboration with Roald Hofman Woodward formulated based on quantum mechanics Rules for preserving orbital symmetry for agreed chemical reactions (When education chemical ties Atoms occurs during chemical reactions). This method allowed Woodvord to take advantage of natural conditions that contribute to the implementation of the reaction to obtain exactly such a molecule as he needs.

In 1965, Woodvord was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "For an outstanding contribution to the art of organic synthesis." In his introductory speech, on behalf of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, Arne Fredga so joked about the supremacy of Woodvord in the field of organic chemistry: "Sometimes they say that organic synthesis is at the same time accurate science and elegant art. Here is an indisputable master - nature. But I dare to argue that the winner of the present-year prize, Dr. Woodword, on the right occupies second place. "

In 1938, Woodvord married Irzh Pullman. The spouses had two daughters. His second wife, Eudoxia Muller (this marriage was concluded in 1946), worked as a consultant to Polaroid Corporation. They had a son and daughter. Brilliant and inspired lecturer, Woodward usually did not use records or abstracts. Together with Robert Robinson, he founded the magazines of organic chemistry "Tetrahedron" ("Tetrahedron") and "Tetrahedron's notes" "(" Tetrahedron Letters ") was a member of their editorial councils. Woodword was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Weitmanov Research Institute in Israel. An avid smoker, he loved to relax, playing football. A scientist from a heart attack at the age of 62 years old in his house in Cambridge (Massachusetts) died.

In addition to Nobel Prize, Woodword was awarded the George Ledley Award of Harvard University (1955), the Medal Davy of the Royal Society (1959), the National Medal "For scientific achievements»National Science Foundation (1964), Willard Gibbs Medal of American Chemical Society (1967), Lavoisier Medal of French Chemical Society (1968), Arthur K. Kupa Award of the American Chemical Society (1973) and many other awards. He was a member of the American National Academy Sciences and the American Academy of Sciences and Arts, as well as a foreign member of the London Royal Society and Professional Societies of many other countries. Woodvord was awarded the honorary degrees of Yale and Harvard Universities, the University of Southern California, Chicago, Cambridge, Colombian and many other universities.

Remember, in the movie "Day of Elections", Lesha proposes to reward General Burdun Order for whether he is well done "? In the case of Nobel Prize, the situation is not so - almost always the award is given for some kind of discovery or invention. However, at least once the Nobel Committee gave Prize precisely for the fact that the laureate was well done. Well, how else to decipher the wording "for an outstanding contribution to the art of organic synthesis"? And all because Robert Burns Woodward was to rightfully receive a minimum of three Nobel Prizes in Chemistry. But first things first.

Robert Burns Woodward

Nobel Prize in Chemistry of 1965. The wording of the Nobel Committee: "For an outstanding contribution to the art of organic synthesis."

Woodward was a real, "classic" genius. He learned the organic chemistry in childhood and at the age of 11 received a copy of new articles in the consul in Germany (the language of chemistry was largely German).

Then Woodward often recalled that among these articles there was an article of two future Nobel laureates in Chemistry, Otto Dils and Kurt Alder, about the opening of their famous response of diene synthesis. The beautiful cyclization reaction, which became one of the most powerful tools in the hands of chemists-synthetics, shook Woodvord, and the science captured it even more.

Dien Synthesis (Dils - Alder Reaction)

Wikimedia Commons

Woodword entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1933, but only chemistry engaged there, forgetting about the rest of the items, and as a result was expelled. True, at the Institute quickly understood whom they were expelled, and Dali Woodvord is a free schedule, as well as the opportunity to work in the laboratory over the studies of the hormones, which he himself and planned. Already in 1937, Robert received a doctoral degree (his classmates became only bachelors at this year).

For the first time, Glory came to Woodvord during the war, when he helped to establish the synthesis of the antimalarial drug Kryin. Its first works on this topic are in 1940, but a few years later, by 1944, along with William Doharing, he developed a full-fledged industrial synthesis of Janina in just 14 months of work, while having a standard organic laboratory and common reagents at hand.

Here for the first time the synthetic method of Woodvord was manifested - from simple to complex. First, a carbon skeleton is formed, which is then "hanging out" by functional groups. Only in order to "collect" the skeleton of quinine, it took 17 stages of synthesis, and there were much more complex compounds ahead. However, Woodward could all. He synthesized dozens of natural compounds, even those considered impossible. And still installed, including synthesizing artificial analogues, the structures of a set of compounds.

Cortizonta, reserpine, Lysierginic acid (yes, full synthesis of LSD - also his creation), Colchicin - medicine from gout, porphyrin, cephalosporin ... Many of these synthesis themselves are worthy of Nobel. The same Strichnin synthesized by Woodvord together with another nobeliatte, Robert Robinson, other researchers were able to synthesize only 40 years later.

Sir Robert Robinson, Nobel laureate in Chemistry in 1947

Andrew J. Humphrey and David O'Hagan

Much of the talent of Woodvord in the field of establishment of the structure says the quotation of the Nobel laureate in the Chemistry of 1969 Derek Barton: "The most brilliant solution of the structural puzzle, made ever, was, of course, the solution of the terrandicine problem in 1953. It was the problem of large industrial importance, and many capable chemists performed a huge amount of work to determine its structure. As a result, the impressive volume of contradictory facts was gathered. Woodword took a big piece of cardboard, wrote on it all the data and, thinking alone, brought the right structure of Terramicin. No one would be able to do this at that time. "

At the same time, Woodword resembling work, for which others received Nobel Prize. For example, simultaneously with the British Jeffrey Wilkinson proposed a variant of the structure of the ferrocene molecule, an amazing compound of hydrocarbons with iron, whose structure could not understand for a long time. It turned out that ferrocene is a kind of "sandwich" of two five-membered hydrocarbon aromatic rings (similar to benzene, but negatively charged) and iron ion in the middle, and the chemical bond between rings and iron is carried out not with individual carbon atoms, and immediately with all rings using "Group" electrons.

"Sandwich" Farrocene structure

Wikimedia Commons

This compound gave rise to a whole group of substances "sandwich" structure - metalcene. Wilkinson "Nobelian" in 1973 was given (along with Ernst Otto Fisher), Woodvord - no. They say he even wrote an angry letter to the Nobel Committee on this matter.

One more example. Woodword took over the supervised synthesis of vitamin B12, or cyanocobalamin. More than 100 students and postlocks Woodvord participated in the work, among whom, for example, was the future laureate of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the founder of Supramolecular Chemistry Jean-Marie Len.

Jean-Marie Len in 2007

Alexey Passky / site

Synthesis was spent almost in hundreds of stages and published in 1973 (in the literature of such synthesis until 2006 did not appear). In parallel to this long synthesis, together with Roald Hoffman Woodward formulated the rules of symmetry of molecular orbitals, which can explain stereochemistry of reactions. IN general They say that orbital symmetry is preserved in synchronous reactions. That is, the reaction proceeds easily if there is a correspondence between the characteristics of the orbital symmetry of molecular orbitals; If there is no such conformity, then the reaction proceeds difficult. This rule is used to reactions of electrocyclication, cycloading and sigmatropic rearrangements.

For example, when cyclization linear system Of the six orbital, the rule will be such (it is necessary to overlapping semi-bidetles lying on one side from the symmetry plane), which will go to the reaction that will lead to the formation of the Cis-product. Now the Rule Woodvord - Hoffman is the foundations, the basics of organic synthesis, but before the second "Nobelyevka" of 1981, Woodward, alas, did not live.

The Nobel Prize was expected. The question was only for what to reward. The wording of the Committee made Woodvord a unique laureate (of course, next to him did not put anyone, and the Woodward prize was alone), and he answered quite interesting. Between awarding award and its presentation takes two months and in December, the Nobel laureate reads a lecture on the subject of the award. The choice of topics in the 1965 laureate, as we understand, was huge. And Woodword could not resist from coming over all those present. For the remaining two months, he accelerated, finished the synthesis of the antibiotic cephalosporin. And, of course, mentioned in the Nobel lecture, which specially accelerated to catch the ceremony.

In his speech on a banquet about the presentation of Narada Woodward said that his work was carried out in collaboration with more than 250 people. "With them, I shared problems, surprises and pleasures, and their hands, minds and hearts led me here tonight. [...] As you know, Alfred Nobel established his award for personal achievements. If I were looking for personal achievements, then I would probably consider them that I brought all these people in the power and beauty of the science of organic chemistry. "

About Woodword and His merit can be written infinitely. The fact that he was a brilliant lecturer. The fact that, if they were compared with anyone at lectures, so only with evangelicals. The fact that he could start writing a formula of a huge compound (or reaction) from different sides of the board, and the formula accurately converged in the middle. That he was the founder and editor of such sign magazine on the Organic, as Tetrahedron. and Tetrahedron Letters.. That he did not calm down, having received a premium, and worked until last days, Dies, unfortunately, in 62 from a heart attack (avid smoker!), so without finishing the synthesis of erythromycin. The fact that the same Derek Barton said that Woodword taught all the organications to think ...

Arne Fredga, the Nobel Prize, presented the Nobel Prize, said: "Sometimes they say that organic synthesis is at the same time accurate science and elegant art. Here is an indisputable master - nature. But I dare to argue that the winner of the present-year prize, Dr. Woodword, on the right occupies second place. " His opinion can be confirmed today: since the Woodvord of the Nobel Prize has passed more than half a century, but there are no equal applicants for second place.

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, Cambridge, Massachusetts) - American chemist organ. There is a significant contribution to modern organic chemistry, especially in the synthesis and determination of the structure of complex natural products. Worked closely with Roughdom Hofman in the region theoretical studies Chemical reactions. Woodward - Waureate of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1965.

Young years, education

Institute Woodvord and the last period of life

In parallel with the work in Harvard Woodward led Research Institute (Woodward Research Institute), founded in 1963 in Basel (Switzerland). He also became a member of the Board of Trustees of MTI (1966-1971) and in Israel.

As a rule, before the beginning of the lecture, Woodward always put two nasal headscarves on the desktop. On one nasal handkerchief, it placed a row of 4-5 pieces of chalk of different colors. On the other, there was an impressive series of cigarettes. The previous cigarette was used to ignite the following. His famous seminars on Thursdays in Harvard stretched to the night.

Woodvord really liked blue. His suit, car and even parking parking were blue. In one of his laboratories, students hung a huge black and white photo of the teacher with a big blue tie. She hung there for several years (before the early 1970s), until he burned down with a small laboratory fire.

With his tightness, Woodword could not do so much if it were not for an extremely organized person. He solved most of the problems independently, thinking to the smallest detail the plan for further work. Every morning there is a strict, strong addition, a professor in a strict suit with a mandatory blue tie sat down in a car and half an hour covered 50 miles who separated his cottage from Harvard University. To nine o'clock, after such a high-speed "PUBJECT", which he preferred to other sports, Woodward started to work. He could restrict himself a few hours of sleep at night, was an avid smokers, preferred whiskey and martini and loved to relax, playing football.

Colleagues chemists about Woodvord

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Excerpt characterizing Woodward, Robert Burns

The doctor looked at me for a long time.
- Did you tell someone about it? - he asked.
"No while no one," I replied. And told him in all details the case on the rink.
"Well, okay, let's try," the doctor said. - But, if it hurts, you can not tell me about it, understood? Therefore, immediately raise your hand, if you just feel pain, agreed? I nodded.
To be honest, I was absolutely not sure why I still underdeveloped. And also, I was not completely sure whether I could really cope with it, and wouldn't have to regret bitterly about all this crazy history. I saw a doctor prepares an anesthetic injection and puts a syringe on a table next to him.
"This is an unexpected failure," he smiled warmly, "well, let's go?"
For a second it seemed to me all this idea, and suddenly I really wanted to be the same as everything is a normal, obedient nine-year-old girl who closes his eyes, simply because she is very scary. But I and the truth was scary ... But since I was not to retreat in my habit, I nodded proudly and prepared to observe. Only many years later, I understood how this cute doctor really risked ... And yet, for me, "Mystery for seven seals" remains forever, why he did it. But then all this seemed completely normal and, frankly, I did not have time to be surprised.
The operation began, and I somehow calmed down immediately - as if somewhere knew that everything would be fine. Now I could no longer remember all the details, but I remember very well how to shook me the kind of "that" that so many years mercilessly tormented me and my mother after every slightest overheating or cold ... It turned out to be two gray, terribly wrinkled someone Matters that was not like even on a normal human flesh! Probably seeing such "fatness", my eyes became like spoons, because the doctor laughed and had fun:
- As you can see, something beautiful is not always removed from us!
A few minutes later the operation was completed and I could not believe that everything was already behind. My brave doctor smiled sweetly, wiping a completely sweatful face. For some reason, he looked like, as "squeezed lemon" ... Apparently, my strange experiment cost him not so easy.
- Well, the hero, still not hurt? - Carefully looking into my eyes he asked.
"Only a little bit in a little," I replied, which was sincere and absolute truth.
In the corridor we were waiting for a very upset mom. It turned out that she had unexpected problems at work and, no matter how she asked, the bosses did not want to let her go. I immediately tried to calm her down, but I had to tell about everything, of course, a doctor, as I was still hard to talk to me. After these two noteworthy cases, my "self-denial effect" I have completely disappeared and never appeared anymore.

As far as I remember myself, I was always attracted by the thirst for life and the ability to find joy even in the most hopeless or sad life situations. To say easier - I always loved the "strong spirit" people. This example of "survival" at the time was for me our young neighbor - Leokady. My impressionable children's soul hit her courage and her truly indestructible desire to live. Leokadia was my light idol and the highest example of how highly people are able to raise any physical ailment, not giving it a fear of destroying his personality nor his life ...
Some diseases are healing and you only need patience to wait when it finally happens. Her illness was with her for the entire remaining life and no hope of ever to become a normal person in this courageous young woman, unfortunately, was not.
Fate-mockery cost her very cruel. When Leokady was still very small, but an absolutely normal girl, she was "lucky enough" to fall very unfortunately from stone steps and hard to damage yourself the spine and chest bone. Doctors initially were not even sure if she could once go at all. But, after some time, this strong, cheerful girl was still possible, thanks to her decisiveness and perseverance, to rise from the hospital bed and slowly, but confidently start re-made her "first steps" ...
It seems to be fine. But, after a while, to universal horror, her in front and rear began to grow a huge, completely terrible hump, which later literally worn her body to full unrecognizable ... And that was the most hijling - nature, as if mocking, awarded this The blue-eyed girl is amazingly a beautiful, light and sophisticated face, thereby, as if wanting to show, what a wonderful beauty she could be if she was not prepared by such a cruel fate ...
I don't even try to imagine through what soul pain And loneliness was supposed to pass this amazing woman, trying, a little little girl, somehow get used to his terrible misfortune. And how she could survive and not break when, many years later, becoming an adult girl, it was supposed to look at himself in the mirror and understand that simple women's happiness was not given to her, no matter how good and good man She was not ... She took her trouble with a clean and open soul and, apparently, it was that it helped her to keep a very strong faith in herself, not having spared on the world And I do not cry over your evil, terrible fate.
Until now, I, as I remember, her unchanged smile and joyful glowing eyes, who encountered us every time, regardless of her mood or physical condition (because I feel very often, it was hard for her) ... I am very He loved and respected this strong, bright woman for her inexhaustible optimism and her deep mental good. And so, it seemed, just she did not have the least reason to believe the same good, because he never could have been able to feel that it was really to live. Or maybe felt much deeper than we could feel? ..
I was then too little girl to understand all the abyss of the distinction between such a cripplent life and the life of normal healthy people, but I perfectly remember that even many years later, the memories of my wonderful neighbor very often helped me to endure peace of mind and loneliness and not break when it was truly very and very hard.
I never understood people who were always unhappy and constantly complained about her, always invariably "bitter and unfair", fate ... And I never understood the reason that gave them the right to believe that happiness is intended for them already From the very beginning of the appearance of the world and what they have, well, the "legal right" is not broken for it (and completely undeserved!) Happiness ...
I never suffered such confidence about "obligatory" happiness and, probably, therefore I did not consider my destiny "bitter or unfair", and vice versa - was in the soul a happy child, which helped me overcome many of those obstacles that are very "generously And constantly "my fate gave me ... I just sometimes happened short breakthms, when it happened very sad and lonely, and it seemed that it was only inside to surrender, not to look for more reasons for our" unusualness ", do not fight for your" unproved "truth, like everything Immediately will be in its place ... And there will be no longer any offense, no bitterness of undeserved persecution, nor who has become almost constant, loneliness.
But the next morning I met my cute, luminous, like a bright sun, a neighbor Lokadia, who happily asked: - What is a wonderful day, isn't it? .. - and me, healthy and strong, immediately became very ashamed of my unforgivable weakness. And, blushing, like a ripe tomato, I squeezed my own, then still small, but rather "purposeful" fists and was again ready to rush into battle with all the world around, in order to further defend my "abnormalities" and myself ...
I remember how one day, after the next "spiritual confusion," I sat alone in the garden under my favorite old apple tree and mentally tried to "decompose on the shelves" of his doubts and mistakes, and was very dissatisfied with what the result was obtained. My neighbor, Leokady, under his window, plant flowers (what, with her illness, it was very difficult to engage in) and could see me perfectly. Probably, she didn't really like my then the state (which always, despite the fact, good or bad, it was written on my face), because she came up to the fence and asked - do I want to have breakfast with her pies?
I gladly agreed - her presence was always very pleasant and soothing, just as her patties were always tasty. And I also really wanted to talk with someone about the fact that I was oppressed for several days, and for some reason I didn't want to share this house at that moment. Probably just sometimes an opinion any man Could give more "food for reflection" than care and hard attention ever-worried grandmothers or moms. Therefore, I gladly accepted the proposal of a neighbor and went to her breakfast, already emitted feeling the miraculous smell of my favorite cherry pies.
I was not very "open," when the case concerned my "unusual" abilities, but with the leocking I was somewhat sorted by my own failures or grievances, since she was a truly excellent listener and never tried simply "to save" I am from any trouble that, unfortunately, I very often did mom and, that sometimes forced me to close from her much more than I would like it. That day I told Leokadia about your little "failure", which occurred during my next "experiments" and which I was very sad.
"You should not worry so much, honey," she said. - In life, it is not terrible to fall, it is important to always be able to climb.
Many years have passed since the wonderful warm breakfast, but these her words were forever imprinted in my memory and became one of the "unexpected" laws of my life, in which "fall", unfortunately, I had to have many times, but still always managed Climb. There were days, I got more and more accustomed to my amazing and such a person who does not like the world and, despite some failures, felt in it really happy.
By that time, I had already clearly understood that I could not find anyone, with whom it could openly share what I was constantly happening to me, and already calmly accepted it, as proper, no longer upset and not trying to prove anyone anymore . It was my world and, if he did not like someone, I was not going to invite anyone forcibly. I remember, later, reading one of the father's books, I accidentally stumbled upon the strings of some old philosopher, which were written many centuries ago and that I was very pleased with it and extremely surprised:
"Be how everything, otherwise life will become unbearable. If in knowledge or ability to move away from normal people too far, you will cease to understand and deemed a madman. Stones fly to you, your friend will turn away from you ...
So even then (!) In the world were "unusual" people who, in their bitter experience, knew how it was not easy and considered it necessary to warn, and if they succeed - and save the same "unusual" what they were, people themselves! !!
These simple words, once a long-lived person, warmed my soul and settled the tiny hope in her, that someday I am able to meet someone else who will be the rest of the same "unusual", as I myself, and with whom I am I can freely talk about any "oddities" and "abnormalities", without fearing that I will be perceived "in the bayonets" or, at best, it is just mercilessly merzy. But this hope was still so fragile and for me incredible that I decided to get faster, thinking about it, so that, in case of failure, it would not be too painful to "land" with my beautiful dream of hard reality ...
Even from his short experience, I already understood that in all my "oddities" there was nothing bad or negative. And if sometimes some of my "experiments" and not quite obtained, the negative effect now manifested only for me, but not on the people around me. Well, and if some friends, because of fear of being involved in my "abnormalities", they turned away from me - then such friends were simply not needed ...
And I also knew that my life was needed for someone and for something apparently, because I didn't get into whatever dangerous "frighting", I always managed to go out without any negative consequences And always as if someone unknown to me helped me. As, for example, and happened in the same summer, at the moment when I almost drowned in our favorite Nyamunas River ...

There was a very hot July day, the temperature was held not lower than +40 degrees. The air was dry "to Bela", the air was dry, as in the desert and literally "crackled" in our lungs at each sigh. We sat on the banks of the river, unscrubently fun and caught the mouth of the air, as the oversized karasi thrown on the land ... And it was almost a completely "fault" in the sun, we look at the water. The usual moisture was absolutely not felt and therefore the whole guy wildly wanted to plunge as soon as possible. But it was a little afraid to swim, since it was another, not familiar to the bank of the river, and Nymunas, as you know, has long been the deep and unpredictable river, with which jokes did not have to joke.
Our old beloved beach was closed for cleaning, so we all temporarily gathered in place more or less someone familiar, and everything is still "dried" on the shore, in no way deciding to swim. The river itself grew a huge old tree. His long silky branches, at the slightest dungement of the wind, touched the water, quietly caressing with her gentle petals, and powerful old roots, resting in the river stones, wagged under it in a solid "wart" carpet, creating a peculiar, hanging over the water, a bug, roof.
This is an old wise tree, oddly enough, and was a real danger to swimming ... around him, for some reason, a lot of peculiar "funnels" were created in the water, which as it were "sucking" a person in depth and necessary It was a very good swimmer to be able to resist on the surface, especially since the place under the tree was very deep.
But children talk about danger, as you know, almost always useless. The more caring adults convince them that some irreparable trouble can happen to them, the more they are sure that "maybe it can happen to someone, but, of course, not with them, not here and not Now "... And the sense of danger itself, on the contrary, they are only more attracting, thereby provoking sometimes to the stupid deeds.
It was about the same as we thoughted - four of the "brave" neighbor guys and I, and not stuffing heat, still decided to swim. The river looked quiet and calm, and no danger seems to be no one. We agreed to observe each other and swear together. At the beginning, everything seemed to be, as usual, the current was not stronger than in our old beach, and the depth did not exceed the familiar depth. I crushed and swam more confidently. And right there, for the same too much confidence, "God shook me on my head, but did not regret me" ... I sailed not far from the shore, as suddenly felt that I dragged me sharply ... And it was so suddenly that I did not have time I did not have time Recharge to resist on the surface. I was strangely twisted and very quickly dragged in depth. It seemed that time was stopped, I felt that there was not enough air.
Then I did not know anything about clinical death, nor the luminous tunnels that appeared during her. But what happened further was very similar to all those stories about clinical deaths that I have managed to read in different books, already living in a distant America ...
I felt that if it was not to inspire air, my lungs simply rupture, and I probably die. It became very scary, in the eyes darkly. Suddenly, a bright flash broke out in the head, and all the feelings disappeared somewhere ... It appeared blindly, bright, transparent blue tunnel, as if the whole woven from the smallest moving silvery stars. I quietly soared inside him, not feeling neither a suffocation or pain, only mentally wondering the extraordinary feeling of absolute happiness, as if finally found the place of his long-awaited dream. It was very calm and good. All sounds disappeared, did not want to move. The body became very light, almost as weightless. Most likely, at that moment I just died ...
I saw some very beautiful, glowing, transparent human figures, slowly and smoothly approaching the tunnel to me. They all smiled warmly, as if called to join them ... I was already stretched to them ... As a suddenly, a huge luminous palm appeared from somewhere, who picked me from the bottom and, like hechish, began to quickly raise on the surface. The brain exploded from surging sharp sounds, as if she suddenly burst the protective partition in his head ... I was like a ball, thrown onto the surface ... and stunned by a real waterfall of flowers, sounds and sensations that for some reason I was perceived now much brighter than it was habitual.
On the shore there was a real panic ... Neigh-minded boys, something shouting, praised her hands expressively, showing in my direction. Someone tried to pull me on the land. And then everything floated, he smelled in some crazy whirlpool, and my poor, overswit consciousness went into full silence ... When I've gotten a bit "I got out", the guys stood around me with the eyes expanded from horror, and all the eyes were reminded The same frightened consistencies ... It was clear that all this time they were almost in real panic shock, and apparently mentally had already managed to "bury." I tried to portray a smile and, still putting a warm river water, hardly squeezed that I was fine, although in no way I was natural at that moment.
As I was then told, all this crochet took in reality just five minutes, although for me, in that terrible moment when I was under water, the time is almost that stopped ... I sincerely rejoiced that moms on that day with us did not have. I later managed to simplify the "neighbor mom", with which we were then let go to swim, so that what happened by the river remains to our secret, since I absolutely did not want my grandmother or mom to have a heart blow, especially That everything was already behind and did not make any sense of anyone so meaningless to scare. Neighbor immediately agreed. Apparently, for her it was the same desired option, since she did not really want someone to find out that she could not meet anyone confidence ...
But this time everything ended well, everyone was alive and happy, and there was no reason to talk about it. Only many more, many times after my unfortunate "bathing" I returned in a dream to the same sparkling blue tunnel, which, for some reason I unknown reason, attracted me like a magnet. And I again experienced that extraordinary feeling of rest and happiness, then not knowing what it was, as it turned out, was very and very dangerous ....

We all clarify the deaf longing of the evening.
It seems to us the evening harbing bitter loss.
Another day, exactly the raft on the river, in the "yesterday"
It goes out, leaves ... left ... and there will be no refund.
(Maria Semenova)

After a couple of weeks after that ill-fated day on the banks of the river, I was started to visit the souls (or more precisely - the essence) of the dead, I am unfamiliar people. Apparently, my frequent returns to the blue channel "disamed" peace, before calmerly existed in peaceful silence, the shower ... Only, as it turned out later, not all of them were so calm ... and only after how I had a huge variety of different, from very sad to deeply unfortunate and abundant souls, I understood how much really important how we live our life and what a pity we think about it only when it's too late Something to change, and when we remain completely helpless in front of the cruel and inexorable fact that nothing and we can never fix it ...
I wanted to run to the street, grab people by hand and shouting everyone and everyone like it is wild and scary when everything gets too late! .. And I also wanted to painfully for me that anyone knows that no one will help. And never! .. But, unfortunately, I then perfectly understood that everything I get for such a "sincere warning," there would be only a light path in a crazy house or (at best) just laughter ... Yes, and that I Could someone prove, a little nine-year-old girl, which no one, did not want to understand, and which was the easiest to be considered just "a little strange" ...
I did not know what I should do to help all these unfortunate, suffering from my mistakes or from fierce fate, people. I was ready to listen to their requests for hours, forgetting about myself and wanting to open up as much as possible, to "knock everything to me", who needed this. And now the real "influx" of my new guests began, which, frankly, at first I was frightened.
I had a young woman, who immediately liked me at once. She was very sad, and I felt that somewhere deep in her soul "bleming" a non-heaven wound, which does not give her to quietly leave. The stranger first appeared when I was sitting, coating with the "Kalachik" in a father's chair and with the use of "absorbed" the book that was not allowed from the house. As usual, with great pleasure enjoying reading, I so deeply plunged into an unfamiliar and such an exciting world that I did not immediately notice my unusual guest.
At first there was a disturbing feeling of someone else's presence. The feeling was very strange - as if the lung cool breeze was in the room, and the air was filled with a transparent vibrating fog. I raised my head and immediately saw a very beautiful, young blond woman. Her body slightly glowed bluish light, but the rest she looked quite normal. The stranger looked at me without breaking down, and as if he was beating about something. Suddenly I heard:
- Please help me…
And, although she did not open his mouth, I very clearly heard the words, they just sounded a little differently, the sound was mild and rustling. And then I realized that she speaks with me in the same way as I had already heard before - the voice sounded only in my head (which, as I later learned, was telepathy).
- Help me ... - Again quietly the past.
- How can I help you? I asked.
"You hear me, you can talk to her ..." replied a stranger.

"The unrivaled king of synthesis", "he sold the soul to the devil for the right to become a genius of organic chemistry", "a man who sculpts the molecule" .. such and ten more such phrases are accompanied by any conversation, each article about an outstanding American scientist, the laureate of the Nobel Chemistry Prize For 1965 R. B. Woodvord.

Robert Burns Woodword was born in Boston (Massachusetts, USA) on April 10, 1917 in the family of immigrants from Scotland Arthur Woodvord and Margaret Burns. After a year and a half (in October 1918), at the age of 33, the father suddenly died, and the upbringing of the sole son was on the shoulders of the mother.

Robert became interested in chemistry very early. From 12 years he was read by chemical literature, he was especially interested in the reaction of the synthesis, many of which he spent in the home laboratory. He also received great pleasure from this science in primary and secondary schools Quintes (Boston suburb). In 1933, Robert entered the Massachusetts Institute of Illinois University. "Entering the University of the 16-year-old Junca, he has already possessed the knowledge of the graduate." He was interested only in chemistry. This was the reason for the exception after the third semester "for inattention to the rules of training." However, in the fall of 1935, he was re-exclaimed, which gave the opportunity to Robert in the year to become a bachelor, and in 1937 by Dr. Philosophy. Since that time, Woodvord's scientific and pedagogical activities are connected with Harvard University (Massachusetts) in Cambridge, where for 13 years he went away from the assistant prof. E. P. Keler (1937-938), then Chairman of the Scientific Society of Young Scientists (1938-1940), Instructor (1941-1944), Assistant Professor (1944-1946), Adjunct-Professor (1946-1950) to Professor of Chemistry ( Since 1950).

Woodword is the largest specialist of our time in the field of synthetic and structural organic chemistry. For 30 years (1944-1974), he spent about 20 complex directed syntheses of natural products that were imposed to it are impracticable. Passionate worker, a magnificent theorist and a unique experimenter, Woodword has an amazing "chemical alarm" to particularly global issues. All these qualities allowed and allow him to recreate in the laboratory artificially with the most complex molecular structures created by wildlife.

For the first time, 27-year-old Woodward, who has already 22 printed articles, showed his art in 1944, when in J. AM. Chem. SOC. It appeared (in collaboration with D. E. Dauring) a message on the full synthesis of the most important chiny alkaloid quinine C 20 H 24 O 2 N 2, which was spent only 14 months.

After the triumphal debut, Woodword continues to be interested in the chemistry of alkaloids. Unique syntheses follow one after another. In 1949, he implemented a full synthesis of semi-wiring - extracts from the roots of semi-valor plants, next year, a full synthesis (in collaboration with the Singh) of an important antibiotic sweatin. These works were created by the biogenetic theory of indolery alkaloids (1948). At the same time, Woodward turns to the chemistry of steroids. During 1951, he reported the total 20-stadium synthesis of fatty pearl cholesterol plates with 27 H 46 o-steroid sterine of higher animals, first isolated from gallstones; and cortisone (substances E. Ken gave L a) from 21 H 28 on 5-modes from corticosteroids (effective medicine against various inflammatory processes) allocated in 1936 from the extract of adrenal glands. Total three years passed, and in 1954, Woodword announced the completion of three more large synthesis: Lanosician-methylteroid sterine, present (along with cholesterol) in the fat of sheep wool, lisergic acid and strikhnin C 21 H 22 O 2 N 2-taneloid ( A strong convulsive poison, in small quantities-tonic), isolated from tropical chielibuhi. - In another two years, the synthesis of reservoir C 33 H 40 O 9 N 2-tolter rare tropical shrub of Snake Rowolphia was completed (means for the treatment of mental diseases and hypertension) . The famous "Woodword splitting" was used in this work not only for strikhnin synthesis, but also to determine the structure of many indole alkaloids.

Finally, in 1960, the art of Woodvord-Synthetic reached apogee - he completed the full synthesis of chlorophylls a and b (C 55 H 72 O 5 N 4 Mg and C 55 H 70 O 6 N 4 Mg) -pigations of photosynthesis in 1956) Plants that are photosynthesis sensitizers. Woodvord and his 17 employees needed more than 20 stages to restore the most complex structure of the green substance of the leaves. For a more complete presentation of the whole uniqueness of the work done, it suffices to mention that the well-known German chemist-organogen and the laureate of the Nobel Prize of 1930 G. Fisher to decipher the structure of chlorophylls A and B spent 10 years (1930-1940). As for the intuition, which allowed Woodvord to submit, plan and accurately reproduce all the synthesis stages, then it is worthy of only a genius. This discovery, an American chemist laid the foundations of industrial photosynthesis.

Two years have passed since the time when chlorophyll was synthesized, and the world learned about the new achievement of Woodvord-obtained yellow crystals of tetracycline antibiotic. In 1963, the most complex synthesis of colchicine C 22 H 25 O 6 N-poisonous alkaloid of the Liliev family was completed (a Swiss professor of the federal worked on this synthesis of 4 years technical Institute In Zurich A. EschenMomer and 7 years old Woodward in Cambridge), in 1965, cephalosporin with the penicillin group.

Along with the unique experimental gift Woodvord has a gift theorist. In his works, a researcher is found constantly interested in chemical reaction mechanisms. The reasonable and reasonable use of stereo-specific reactions was deeply influenced by the work of modern organic. Woodward made a tangible contribution to the knowledge of the structures of numerous natural substances. Among the structures decrypted by it, such molecules such as Penicillin (1945), Strychnine (1948), Pathulin (1949), Terramicin and Aureomycin, Biomycin (1952), Sevin (1954), Magnamycin (1956), Giotoxin (1958), Oleandomycin (1958) 1960), streptomycin (1963), Tetradoxin (1964), etc.

In all its studies, Woodward is widely used by various physical and physicochemical methods, especially UV and IR spectroscopy. Back in 1941, "Woodvord Rules" was derived in the spectroscopic study of the structure of the ketones to determine the batter-chromic effect of alkyl substituents in conjugate diennes, the use of which to determine the structures, in particular steroids, was revolutionary. In 1952, he defined the sandwich structure and proved the aromatics of ferrocene (bicyclopentadiensylzhelez) and other metallocenes in which the metal atom is between two cyclopentadienyal residues and is not associated with certain atoms of both cycles, but with all their atoms through non-herient connections. In 1961, Woodword formulated the "Rule of the Octante" for the rotational dispersion of ketones, and in 1965 (with Hoffman) - the rules for the conservation of orbital symmetry.

The question involuntarily arises: "Why so fruitful scientific activity Not previously crowned with the Nobel Prize? "One of the members of the Nobel Committee in 1958 did this issue:" Nobel Prize - Woodvord? Do not hurry, I will definitely come! "Time has come in 1965

After receiving the Nobel Prize in Stockholm Woodward said: "I almost do not doubt that something can be created in the laboratory characteristic features Life. But I would not like to predict how much time it takes it. "Only 7 years passed on the way to this" something ", and in 1972 the scientific world had another sensational news: Woodward and EshenMomer completed the full synthesis started in 1961 Vitamin B 12 (Cyancobalamina) C E3 H 90 O 11 N 1 4PCO-higher achievement in the entire history of organic chemistry. Vitamin B 12 (mol. 1357) is a complex compound of the porphyrin series in which coordination is associated with a cyan group and 5 atoms N. This synthesis is worthy of another Nobel Prize, although already now (Woodvord is only 58 years old) only the transfer of honorary degrees, awards, academies and scientific societies, the member of which it is, will take not one page (the main lists in "Les Prix Nobel EN 1965 ").

Woodword has created a huge school of students from 300 scientists Cambridge, Basel and Zurich, half of which are members of various academies. In operation on at 12, for example, 8 famous Chemists from Zurich and 17-Cambridge took part. "The people who have passed our school are able to fulfill any task at the highest level. Such training can only be given to fundamental research," Woodward said in an interview with Soviet journalists. He visited repeatedly Soviet UnionFor reading Soviet periodic publications in the original learned Russian. Among his friends is Professor MSU A. N. Kost. How is the range of studies of Woodvord, its ability to work as much as large for 12-15 hours a day. He has time to follow the chemical periodic, every month to fly to Geneva and advise Swiss chemists, work with interns, participate in almost all major scientific meetings of organic. On Fridays, Woodword collects colloquiums, which are often coming chemists from other cities. Woodward - Estet in chemistry. According to A. N. Costa, "Often on lectures or reports, taking in both hands on a piece of chalk, he with ease of illusionist started to draw with both ends chemical structure, and its spatial vision of the molecule was so subtle that there was no case when the lines on the board did not come together "

With his tightness, Woodword could not do so much if it were not for an extremely organized person. It solves most of the initial problems in full solitude, thinking on the little work plan for further work. Every morning, a short, strong addition, a professor in a strict suit with a mandatory blue tie sits in the car and for half an hour "covers" 50 miles separating his cottage from Harvard University. To nine o'clock, after the intense charged charge, which he prefers other sports, Woodward starts work.

Robert Woodward is married twice: since 1938 on Irzh Pullman and from 1946 on Evdokia Muller. He has three daughters - Siyar Anne (Rod 1939), Jen Kirsten (born 1944), Crystal Elizabeth (born 1947) and Son-Erig Richard Arthur (born 1953).

LITERATURE

1. Les Prix Nobel EN 1965. Stockholm, 1966.
2. A. Simonyan. Comsom. True, № 297 (12456) of December 18, 1965
3. O. METH-COHN TIDSKR. Kjemi, Bergvesen Og Metallurgi, 25,281 (1965).
4. H. Wijnberg. Chem. Courant, 64, 857 (1965).
5. H. FRDTMAN. SVENSK KERN, TIDSKR., 77, 555 (1965); NORD, MED., 74, 1277 (1965).
6. S. WIDEQVIST. Elementa, 49, 17 (1966).
7. J. Sass. Lab-Prax., 18, 49, 66, 88 (1966).
8. A. H. Co. Nature, No. 1, 114 (1966).
9. P. B. Woodward. Successes of Chemistry, 43, 727 (1974).

American biochemist Robert Burns Woodword was born in Boston (Massachusetts), in the family of Margaret (Burns) Woodward and Arthur Chester Woodvord. His father died a year after the birth of the Son. As a child, Woodword spent a lot of time at work at home chemical laboratory. At the age of 16, he graduated from High School Quenes. Already then the striking knowledge of organic chemistry allocated Woodvord among scientific college students. When in 1933 he, having received a scholarship, entered the Massachusetts Technological Institute, allowed him to make a schedule itself. He was also given the opportunity to work in a laboratory over independently planned hormone studies. In 1936, Woodword received a bachelor's degree in natural sciences, and in 1937 - a doctoral degree.

During the summer semester of 1937, Woodword was engaged in the University of Illinois, and then entered Harvard, becoming an assistant Elmer P. Kochler, head of the department of organic chemistry. He stayed at Harvard to the end of his scientific career, having passed the way from the professor's assistant in 1944 to a full professor in 1950 (Adjunct-Professor Woodward became in 1946). In 1953 and 1960. He was awarded honorary professorship ranks. The person who later responded to as "the greatest specialist of his time in the field of synthetic and structural organic chemistry", Woodward made his first contribution to the chemistry, being a Polaroid Corporation consultant during World War II. The war caused a lack of quinine, a valuable antimaryary preparation, which is also used in the manufacture of lenses. Having standard equipment and easily accessible materials, Woodward and his colleague William E. Doering in 1944. For the first time, the chinin was synthesized after only 14 months of work. It is characteristic that Woodvord method was to start with a simple molecule and, adding or eliminating carbon atoms, form the basis of the desired product. Then he "tied" lateral groups to complete the structure of the required molecule. In the case of quinine, 17 transformations were used in this process to create a carbon structure and many more reactions to reproduce the natural properties of quinine.

Three years later, in collaboration with the chemist-organizing K.G. Woodward scarm created a protein analogue, connecting the links of amino acids in a long chain. The resulting polypeptides, which were used in the production of plastics and artificial antibiotics, became a valuable tool for studying the metabolism of proteins. In 1951, Woodword was headed by the first research group, which began to synthesize steroids. An example of their extremely complex structure can serve cholesterol and cortisone. Woodword continued to carry out the impossible syntheses, and some of them, such as Strichnin synthesis, failed to repeat. Among the compounds that he received were chlorophyll, Lanosician, Lenginic acid, reserpine, prostaglandin F2A, colchicine and vitamin B12.

Part of this work was carried out at Woodvord Research Institute in Basel (Switzerland), which was established in 1963 Siba Corporation. The institute was named after a scientist, he was his director, combining this post with work at Harvard University. Under his leadership, scientists and staff of the institute synthesized many compounds that were used in industry. One of these most significant compounds was non-alporeline C, antibiotic type of penicillin, applied against infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Woodword died, without completing work on the synthesis of erythromycin antibiotic.

Although Woodward is most famous thanks to its synthesis works, its contribution to organic chemistry is much wider and fundamental. When he started his scientific career, the principles of organic chemistry were already firmly established. The tetrahedral structure of carbon, the nature of the side chains attached to it and their chemical activity were known. The analysis of unknown substances was based on classical methods that began their origin in the XIX century. After the connection was decomposed on the components and these components were identified, on the basis of reactions in which this substance entitled, a conclusion was made about its structure.

Woodword made a revolution in the application of the methods of physical chemistry. It used the electronic theory of the structure of molecules for analyzing the reaction mechanism and the prediction of the exit of final products, which is absolutely necessary when planning organic synthesis. The scientist popularized the use of spectroscopy for faster and accurate clarification of the molecular structure. The rule that establishes the relationship between the ultraviolet spectrum, the number and type of bonds between carbon atoms and side groups, is its name. In collaboration with Roald Hofman Woodward formulated the rules for the conservation of orbital symmetry for agreed chemical reactions based on quantum mechanics (when the formation of chemical bonds of atoms occurs during chemical reactions). This method allowed Woodvord to take advantage of natural conditions that contribute to the implementation of the reaction to obtain exactly such a molecule as he needs.

In 1965, Woodvord was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "For an outstanding contribution to the art of organic synthesis." In his opening speech, on behalf of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, Arne Fredga so joked about the supremacy of Woodvord in the field of organic chemistry: "Sometimes they say that organic synthesis is at the same time accurate science and elegant art. Here is an indisputable master - nature. But I dare to argue that the winner of the present-year prize, Dr. Woodword, on the right occupies second place. "

In 1938, Woodvord married Irzh Pullman. The spouses had two daughters. His second wife, Eudoxia Muller (this marriage was concluded in 1946), worked as a consultant to Polaroid Corporation. They had a son and daughter. Brilliant and inspired lecturer, Woodward usually did not use records or abstracts. Together with Robert Robinson, he founded the magazines of organic chemistry "Tetrahedron" ("Tetrahedron") and "Tetrahedron's notes" "(" Tetrahedron Letters ") was a member of their editorial councils. Woodword was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Weitmanov Research Institute in Israel. An avid smoker, he loved to relax, playing football. A scientist from a heart attack at the age of 62 years old in his house in Cambridge (Massachusetts) died.

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Woodward was awarded the George Ledley Award of Harvard University (1955), Davy Medal of the Royal Society (1959), the National Medal "For Scientific Achievements" of the National Science Foundation (1964), Willlard Gibbs Medal of American Chemical Society (1967), Medal Lavoisier of French Chemical Society (1968), Arthur Award K. Koop American Chemical Society (1973) and many other awards. He was a member of the American National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Sciences and Arts, as well as a foreign member of the Royal Society of London and Professional Societies of many other countries. Woodvord was awarded the honorary degrees of Yale and Harvard Universities, the University of Southern California, Chicago, Cambridge, Colombian and many other universities.

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