Ian Heilbron

Scientific careerFieldsOrganic chemistryInstitutionsAcademic advisorsArthur Rudolf Hantzsch

Sir Ian Heilbron DSO FRS (6 November 1886 – 14 September 1959) was a Scottish chemist,^[2][3][4] who pioneered organic chemistry developed for therapeutic and industrial use.^[5]

Early life and education

Isidor Morris Heilbron was born in Glasgow on 6 November 1886 to a wine merchant (David Heilbron) and his wife (Fanny Jessel).^[6] He was Jewish.^[7][8]

He was educated at Glasgow High School and then the Royal Technical College with G. G. Henderson. Following an award of a Carnegie Fellowship he went to the University of Leipzig to study under Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch for his doctoral thesis (1907–1910).^[9]

He was awarded a Ph.D. He received a D.Sc. at the University of Glasgow in 1918 for his 'Contribution to the Study of Semi-carbazones' and other papers.^[6]

Military service

He served in the Royal Army Service Corps (1910–1920). He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order in 1918 for distinguished service related to operations in Salonika.^[6] He was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the Redeemer by the Greek government. He achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel, Assistant Director of Supplies.^[10]

During the Second World War from 1939 to 1942 he worked as a scientific advisor to the Department of Scientific Research in the Ministry of Supply. After 1942 he became a scientific advisor to the Ministry of Production.^{[citation needed]}

Career

His independent research career focused on the chemistry of natural products, including work on sterols, vitamin D, vitamin A, polyene synthesis, Squalene, terpenes, pyrylium salts, algal pigments, and spiropyrans.^[10] He was also instrumental in the development of DDT to fight malaria and yellow fever.^[11] Heilbron, with Arthur Herbert Cook, also studied the synthesis and structure of penicillin.^[12]

Appointments

• Lecturer, Royal Technical College, 1909–14
• Scientist, later consultant at British Dyestuffs Corp. (later renamed Imperial Chemical Industries)
• Professor of organic chemistry, Royal Technical College, 1919–20
• Professor, University of Liverpool, 1920–33 (Heath Harrison Chair of Organic Chemistry)
• Professor, University of Manchester, 1933-8 (Sir Samuel Hall Chair of Chemistry, 1935-8)
• Professor of Organic Chemistry and Director of the Laboratories, Imperial College, 1938–49
• 1949: Retired from academic research^[9]
• Director, Brewing Industry Research Foundation, 1949–58
• Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Royal Military College of Science^[10]
• International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry
• Editor-in-chief of the “Dictionary of Organic Compounds” and
• Chairman of the editorial board of “Thorpe’s Dictionary of Applied Chemistry.”

Notable trainees

Source:^[13]

While at University of Liverpool

• Frank Stuart Spring, graduate student (1930)

While at University of Manchester

• Basil Lythgoe, graduate student, (1936)
• Ewart Ray Herbert Jones, post-doc (1938)

While at Imperial College

• Stanley H. Harper, graduate student (1937)
• Derek Harold Richard Barton, graduate student (1942)
• Basil Weedon, graduate student, (1942)
• Ralph Alexander Raphael, graduate student (1943)
• Ernest A. R. Braude, graduate student (1944)
• John Arthur Elvidge, graduate student (1947)
• Franz Sondheimer, graduate student (1948)
• Marc Julia, graduate student (1948)^[14]

While at Imperial Chemical Industries

• Alan Woodworth Johnson, research scientist (1946)

Notable collaborators

While at University of Liverpool

• Richard Alan Morton^[15]

Awards and honours

• 1911: Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry (F.I.C.)^[10]
• 1931: Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)^[10]
• 1939: Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society of London^[10]
• 1943: Davy Medal from the Royal Society "In recognition of his many notable contributions to organic chemistry, especially to the chemistry of natural products of physiological importance"
• 1945: The American Chemical Society honored him with its highest prize, the Priestley Medal. This was the first time the award went to a non-American.^[9]
• 1946: In recognition of his work during war he was appointed a Knight Bachelor^[1]
• 1951: Royal Medal from the Royal Society

References