Dan Mages
12-21-2004, 9:57 PM
I received some sad news today. My great uncle Herbert "Hy" brown passed away this past Sunday at the age of 92. Is by far, the smartest and wisest man I have ever had the privilage to know. He had a singular wit that I will never forget.
Dan
Here is the obituary that I found at the Journal and Courier website.
Dr. Herbert C. Brown
Dr. Herbert C. Brown, 92, of 1014 Lincoln Trace, WL, Nobel laureate and R.B. Wetherill research professor emeritus of chemistry at Purdue University, died at 6:50 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, 2004, in St. Elizabeth Medical Center.
Born May 22, 1912, in London, England, he moved to the United States in 1914. He received his bachelor's degree in 1936 and his doctorate in 1938, both from University of Chicago. He taught there and at Wayne State University before joining the Purdue faculty in 1947.
Dr. Brown was best known for his pioneering work with boron compounds, which revolutionized synthetic organic chemistry. While working for the Department of Defense during World War II, he found a way to make sodium borohydride.
This compound opened a new path for making hydrogen gas, used in weather balloons during the war and in fuel cells today. This was the first of many reactions made possible by boranes, which are compounds of boron and hydrogen.
They are now used in the synthesis of many organic compounds, including medications such as the antidepressant Prozac and the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. The borohydride preparation of active hydrogenation catalysts was discovered in collaboration with his son, Charles A. Brown.
In 1979, Dr. Brown shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with German chemist Georg Wittig of the University of Heidelberg. He has received many other medals, honorary doctorates, and fellowships in recognition of his work.
He was the Harrison Howe Lecturer in 1953, the Centenary Lecturer of The Chemical Society in London in 1955 and the Baker Lecturer in 1969. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1957, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1966 and received an honorary doctorate of science degree from the University of Chicago in 1968 and was elected honorary fellow of The Chemical Society and Foreign Member of the Indian National Academy of Sciences in 1978.
Dr. Brown was the recipient of the Nichols Medal for 1959, the ACS Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Organic Chemistry for 1960, the Linus Pauling Medal for 1968, the National Medal of Science for 1969, the Roger Adams Medal for 1971, the Charles Frederick Chandler Medal for 1973, the Madison Marshall Award for 1975 and the CCNY Scientific Achievement Award Medal for 1976, the Allied Award for 1978, the Ingold Memorial Lecturer and Medal for 1978, the Elliot Cresson Medal for 1978, the Priestley Medal for 1981, the Perkin Medal for 1982, the A.I.C. Gold Medal for 1985 and the National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences for 1987, the Emperor's Decoration in Japan: Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star for 1989, the Oesper Award (Cincinnati Section ACS) for 1990, and the ACS Herbert C. Brown Medal and Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Methods for 1998, and the ACS Chemical Engineering News selection as one of the Top 75 Chemists Contributing to the High Status of Current Chemistry in 1998.
On Feb. 16, 1937, he married Sarah Baylen in Chicago. She survives.
Also surviving is a son, Dr. Charles Alan Brown (wife: Terry) of San Jose, Calif
Dan
Here is the obituary that I found at the Journal and Courier website.
Dr. Herbert C. Brown
Dr. Herbert C. Brown, 92, of 1014 Lincoln Trace, WL, Nobel laureate and R.B. Wetherill research professor emeritus of chemistry at Purdue University, died at 6:50 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, 2004, in St. Elizabeth Medical Center.
Born May 22, 1912, in London, England, he moved to the United States in 1914. He received his bachelor's degree in 1936 and his doctorate in 1938, both from University of Chicago. He taught there and at Wayne State University before joining the Purdue faculty in 1947.
Dr. Brown was best known for his pioneering work with boron compounds, which revolutionized synthetic organic chemistry. While working for the Department of Defense during World War II, he found a way to make sodium borohydride.
This compound opened a new path for making hydrogen gas, used in weather balloons during the war and in fuel cells today. This was the first of many reactions made possible by boranes, which are compounds of boron and hydrogen.
They are now used in the synthesis of many organic compounds, including medications such as the antidepressant Prozac and the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. The borohydride preparation of active hydrogenation catalysts was discovered in collaboration with his son, Charles A. Brown.
In 1979, Dr. Brown shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with German chemist Georg Wittig of the University of Heidelberg. He has received many other medals, honorary doctorates, and fellowships in recognition of his work.
He was the Harrison Howe Lecturer in 1953, the Centenary Lecturer of The Chemical Society in London in 1955 and the Baker Lecturer in 1969. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1957, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1966 and received an honorary doctorate of science degree from the University of Chicago in 1968 and was elected honorary fellow of The Chemical Society and Foreign Member of the Indian National Academy of Sciences in 1978.
Dr. Brown was the recipient of the Nichols Medal for 1959, the ACS Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Organic Chemistry for 1960, the Linus Pauling Medal for 1968, the National Medal of Science for 1969, the Roger Adams Medal for 1971, the Charles Frederick Chandler Medal for 1973, the Madison Marshall Award for 1975 and the CCNY Scientific Achievement Award Medal for 1976, the Allied Award for 1978, the Ingold Memorial Lecturer and Medal for 1978, the Elliot Cresson Medal for 1978, the Priestley Medal for 1981, the Perkin Medal for 1982, the A.I.C. Gold Medal for 1985 and the National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences for 1987, the Emperor's Decoration in Japan: Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star for 1989, the Oesper Award (Cincinnati Section ACS) for 1990, and the ACS Herbert C. Brown Medal and Award for Creative Research in Synthetic Methods for 1998, and the ACS Chemical Engineering News selection as one of the Top 75 Chemists Contributing to the High Status of Current Chemistry in 1998.
On Feb. 16, 1937, he married Sarah Baylen in Chicago. She survives.
Also surviving is a son, Dr. Charles Alan Brown (wife: Terry) of San Jose, Calif