Clayton Heathcock
Encyclopedia
Clayton Heathcock is an organic chemist
, Professor of Chemistry, and Dean of the College of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley
. Professor Heathcock is well known for his accomplishments in the synthesis of complex polycyclic natural product
s and for his contributions to the chemistry community. In 1995 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences
.
Clayton Heathcock received his B.Sc. in chemistry in 1958 from Abilene Christian University
and a Ph.D in organic chemistry in 1963 from the University of Colorado
. His graduate work was carried out under the direction of Alfred Hassner and dealt with the synthesis of steroid
al heterocycles
. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Gilbert Stork
at Columbia University
. In 1964, he joined the faculty at UC Berkeley where he is currently Professor in the Graduate School and Dean of the College of Chemistry.
Heathcock is known for tackling the chemical synthesis of complex, polycyclic natural products, often possessing unusual biological activity including Daphniphyllum
alkaloid
s, altohyrtin, zaragozic acid
, spongistatins, and many others. He has also developed novel methodology for organic synthesis such as a modification of the Evans aldol reaction
.
In addition to his research and teaching accomplishments, Clayton Heathcock has contributed to the chemical community by serving as chairman of the Division of Organic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society
(ACS), chairman of the National Institutes of Health
Medicinal Chemistry Study Section, chairman of the Gordon Research Conference
on Stereochemistry, chair of the Chemistry Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
, and Editor-in Chief of the journals Organic Syntheses
and the Journal of Organic Chemistry
.
Clayton Heathcock is the author of several hundred research papers http://heathcock.org/chhgrp/bibliography.html and a coauthor of the popular college textbook Introduction to Organic Chemistry.
Awards that Clayton Heathcock has received include Ernest Guenther Award (ACS) (1986); ACS Award for Creative Work in Organic Synthesis (1990); A.C. Cope Scholar (1990); Prelog Medal, ETH (1991); American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1991); National Academy of Sciences (1995); Centenary Medal, Royal Society of Chemistry (1996); H. C. Brown Award (ACS) (2002); Paul Gassman Award for Distinguished Service (ACS) (2004).
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
, Professor of Chemistry, and Dean of the College of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. Professor Heathcock is well known for his accomplishments in the synthesis of complex polycyclic natural product
Natural product
A natural product is a chemical compound or substance produced by a living organism - found in nature that usually has a pharmacological or biological activity for use in pharmaceutical drug discovery and drug design...
s and for his contributions to the chemistry community. In 1995 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
Clayton Heathcock received his B.Sc. in chemistry in 1958 from Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
and a Ph.D in organic chemistry in 1963 from the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. His graduate work was carried out under the direction of Alfred Hassner and dealt with the synthesis of steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
al heterocycles
Heterocyclic compound
A heterocyclic compound is a cyclic compound which has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring. The counterparts of heterocyclic compounds are homocyclic compounds, the rings of which are made of a single element....
. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Gilbert Stork
Gilbert Stork
Gilbert Stork is a U.S. organic chemist. He is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Columbia University. The Stork enamine synthesis is named in his honor.-Education:...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In 1964, he joined the faculty at UC Berkeley where he is currently Professor in the Graduate School and Dean of the College of Chemistry.
Heathcock is known for tackling the chemical synthesis of complex, polycyclic natural products, often possessing unusual biological activity including Daphniphyllum
Daphniphyllum
Daphniphyllum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Daphniphyllaceae, including about 25 species, all evergreen shrubs and trees native to east and southeast Asia...
alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
s, altohyrtin, zaragozic acid
Zaragozic acid
Zaragozic acids are a family of natural products produced by fungi. The first characterized zaragozic acids, A, B, and C were isolated from an unidentified sterile fungal culture, S. intermedia, and L. elatius, respectively. just outside of the European city Zaragoza, Spain on the Jalón river...
, spongistatins, and many others. He has also developed novel methodology for organic synthesis such as a modification of the Evans aldol reaction
Aldol reaction
The aldol reaction is a powerful means of forming carbon–carbon bonds in organic chemistry.Discovered independently by Charles-Adolphe Wurtz and Alexander Porfyrevich Borodin in 1872, the reaction combines two carbonyl compounds to form a new β-hydroxy carbonyl compound...
.
In addition to his research and teaching accomplishments, Clayton Heathcock has contributed to the chemical community by serving as chairman of the Division of Organic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
(ACS), chairman of the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
Medicinal Chemistry Study Section, chairman of the Gordon Research Conference
Gordon Research Conferences
Gordon Research Conferences are international scientific conferences organized by a non-profit organization of the same name. The conference topics cover frontier research in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences, and their related technologies. The conferences have been held since...
on Stereochemistry, chair of the Chemistry Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, and Editor-in Chief of the journals Organic Syntheses
Organic Syntheses
Organic Syntheses is a scientific journal that since 1921 has provided the chemistry community with annual collections of detailed and checked procedures for the organic synthesis of organic compounds. The journal is peer reviewed...
and the Journal of Organic Chemistry
Journal of Organic Chemistry
The Journal of Organic Chemistry is a peer-reviewed scientific journal for original contributions of fundamental research in organic and bioorganic chemistry. It is published by the American Chemical Society. Its 2010 impact factor is 4.002....
.
Clayton Heathcock is the author of several hundred research papers http://heathcock.org/chhgrp/bibliography.html and a coauthor of the popular college textbook Introduction to Organic Chemistry.
Awards that Clayton Heathcock has received include Ernest Guenther Award (ACS) (1986); ACS Award for Creative Work in Organic Synthesis (1990); A.C. Cope Scholar (1990); Prelog Medal, ETH (1991); American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1991); National Academy of Sciences (1995); Centenary Medal, Royal Society of Chemistry (1996); H. C. Brown Award (ACS) (2002); Paul Gassman Award for Distinguished Service (ACS) (2004).