Arthur Birch (chemist)

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Arthur John Birch (born August 3, 1915 in Sydney - † December 8, 1995 ) was an Australian organic chemist .

Birch developed the Birch reduction of aromatic rings, which is widely used in synthetic organic chemistry. The Birch reduction made it possible to modify steroids . He was the first to succeed in synthesizing a simple AB ring structure using cholesterol . In 1948 Birch was able to demonstrate the first total synthesis of a male sex hormone ( 19-nortestosterone ), as the first synthetically produced representative of a very important structural class. This later enabled the development and manufacture of the birth control pill as well as other pharmaceuticals based on steroid scaffolds, including many antibiotics. Birch published over 440 articles and reviews.

Live and act

Birch received a scholarship to the University of Sydney , where he graduated in 1937 with a Bachelor of Science , then in 1938 with a Master of Science . He then went to Oxford University , where he received his doctorate in 1940 and remained as a collaborator with Sir Robert Robinson until 1948. He then moved to the Smithson group at Cambridge University , where he worked with Lord Alexander Todd , among others .

In 1952 he returned to Australia to accept a professorship in organic chemistry at the University of Sydney; In 1954 he was accepted into the Australian Academy of Science . In 1955, however, he moved to the University of Manchester , where he became a member of the Royal Society in 1958 .

In 1967 he took the opportunity to set up the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University in Canberra as dean. He fulfilled this role until 1980. He was also a founding member of the “Australian Science and Technology Council”.

Functions and honors

  • 1963 Ernest Guenther Award
  • 1977–1978 President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
  • 1977 Chairman of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)
  • 1981 Robert Robinson Award
  • 1982–1986 President of the Australian Academy of Science
  • 1987 Member of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to Australian science
  • 1987 Tetrahedron Prize
  • 1994 Honorary Member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

After his death, a building belonging to the Research School of Chemistry was named after him.

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Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ biographical data, publications and Academic pedigree of Henry Biltz at academictree.org, accessed on 7 January 2018th
personal data
SURNAME Birch, Arthur
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Birch, Arthur John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Australian organic chemist
DATE OF BIRTH August 3, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH Sydney , Australia
DATE OF DEATH December 8, 1995