Earl Muetterties
Encyclopedia
Earl Muetterties was an American
inorganic chemist born in Illinois
, who is known for his experimental work with boranes, homogeneous catalysis
, heterogeneous catalysis
, and fluxional processes in organometallic complexes.
at Northwestern University
in 1949 and received his doctoral thesis in boron-nitrogen chemistry
under Charles Brown and Eugene G. Rochow
at Harvard in 1952.
Department and was promoted to research supervisor in 1955. His early contributions were on the inorganic fluorine compounds, especially of sulfur and phosphorus. In collaboration with William D. Phillips
he exploited NMR
for study of dynamic processes in inorganic fluoride compounds. Muetterties's work on boron hydride clusters led to the discovery of several polyhedral borane anions such as B12H122-. In addition to the polyhedral boranes, the program explored pi-allyl, fluoroalkyl, and boron hydride complexes of the transition metal
s. Research also extended to stereochemically-non-rigid complexes. In 1965, he became Associate Director in the DuPont Central Research
. In addition to groups in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis
, groups were established in the synthesis and spectroscopy
of organometallic compounds. He was also a prolific inventor.
(1967–1969) and then at the University of Pennsylvania
(1969–1973). With the Monell Chemical Senses Center
, his research interests extended to mammalian pheromone
s. After a two-month lectureship at Cambridge University in 1972, he assumed a professorship at Cornell in 1973, conducting research on organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis, sometimes in collaboration with Roald Hoffman.
In 1979, he moved to the University of California, Berkeley
, where he continued research in homogeneous catalysis
and cluster chemistry
. At Berkeley he also worked on surface science
.
Muetterties helped establish the ACS journals Inorganic Chemistry
and Organometallics
. He was on the board of Inorganic Syntheses
and edited Volume 10. He also edited books on boron chemistry and transition-metal hydrides and wrote reviews on complexes with unusual coordination numbers. A tribute to Muetterties has also published.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
inorganic chemist born in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, who is known for his experimental work with boranes, homogeneous catalysis
Homogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is a sequence of reactions that involve a catalyst in the same phase as the reactants. Most commonly, a homogeneous catalyst is codissolved in a solvent with the reactants.-Acid catalysis:...
, heterogeneous catalysis
Heterogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis refers to the form of catalysis where the phase of the catalyst differs from that of the reactants. Phase here refers not only to solid, liquid, vs gas, but also immiscible liquids, e.g. oil and water. The great majority of practical heterogeneous catalysts...
, and fluxional processes in organometallic complexes.
Training
Muetterties earned a bachelors degree in chemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1949 and received his doctoral thesis in boron-nitrogen chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
under Charles Brown and Eugene G. Rochow
Eugene G. Rochow
Eugene George Rochow was an American inorganic chemist. Rochow worked on organosilicon chemistry; in the 1940s, he described the direct process, also known as the Rochow process or Müller-Rochow process....
at Harvard in 1952.
Career at DuPont
Earl Muetterties joined DuPont Central ResearchDuPont Central Research
In 1957, the research organization of the Chemicals Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company was renamed Central Research Department, beginning the history of the premier scientific organization within DuPont and one of the foremost industrial laboratories devoted to basic science...
Department and was promoted to research supervisor in 1955. His early contributions were on the inorganic fluorine compounds, especially of sulfur and phosphorus. In collaboration with William D. Phillips
William Dale Phillips
William Dale Phillips was a chemist, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopist, federal science policy advisor and member of the National Academy of Sciences. He was born October 10, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri and died in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 15, 1993.-Training:Phillips graduated...
he exploited NMR
NMR
NMR may refer to:Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance:* Nuclear magnetic resonance* NMR spectroscopy* Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance* Protein nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy* Proton NMR* Carbon-13 NMR...
for study of dynamic processes in inorganic fluoride compounds. Muetterties's work on boron hydride clusters led to the discovery of several polyhedral borane anions such as B12H122-. In addition to the polyhedral boranes, the program explored pi-allyl, fluoroalkyl, and boron hydride complexes of the transition metal
Transition metal
The term transition metal has two possible meanings:*The IUPAC definition states that a transition metal is "an element whose atom has an incomplete d sub-shell, or which can give rise to cations with an incomplete d sub-shell." Group 12 elements are not transition metals in this definition.*Some...
s. Research also extended to stereochemically-non-rigid complexes. In 1965, he became Associate Director in the DuPont Central Research
DuPont Central Research
In 1957, the research organization of the Chemicals Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company was renamed Central Research Department, beginning the history of the premier scientific organization within DuPont and one of the foremost industrial laboratories devoted to basic science...
. In addition to groups in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis
Catalysis
Catalysis is the change in rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of a substance called a catalyst. Unlike other reagents that participate in the chemical reaction, a catalyst is not consumed by the reaction itself. A catalyst may participate in multiple chemical transformations....
, groups were established in the synthesis and spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
of organometallic compounds. He was also a prolific inventor.
Academic career
Muetterties academic ties started with an adjunct professorship in chemistry at PrincetonPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(1967–1969) and then at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
(1969–1973). With the Monell Chemical Senses Center
Monell Chemical Senses Center
The Monell Chemical Senses Center is a non-profit independent scientific institute located at the University City Science Center research campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, his research interests extended to mammalian pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
s. After a two-month lectureship at Cambridge University in 1972, he assumed a professorship at Cornell in 1973, conducting research on organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis, sometimes in collaboration with Roald Hoffman.
In 1979, he moved to 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...
, where he continued research in homogeneous catalysis
Homogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is a sequence of reactions that involve a catalyst in the same phase as the reactants. Most commonly, a homogeneous catalyst is codissolved in a solvent with the reactants.-Acid catalysis:...
and cluster chemistry
Cluster chemistry
In chemistry, a cluster is an ensemble of bound atoms intermediate in size between a molecule and a bulk solid. Clusters exist of diverse stoichiometries and nuclearities. For example, carbon and boron atoms form fullerene and borane clusters, respectively. Transition metals and main group...
. At Berkeley he also worked on surface science
Surface science
Surface science is the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases, including solid–liquid interfaces, solid–gas interfaces, solid–vacuum interfaces, and liquid-gas interfaces. It includes the fields of surface chemistry and surface physics. Some related...
.
Muetterties helped establish the ACS journals Inorganic Chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds , which are the subjects of organic chemistry...
and Organometallics
Organometallics
Organometallics is a journal published by the American Chemical Society. Its area of focus is organometallic, as well as organometalloid chemistry. This peer-reviewed journal received an Impact Factor of 3.888 as reported by the 2010 Journal Citation Reports by Thomson Reuters.The current...
. He was on the board of Inorganic Syntheses
Inorganic Syntheses
Inorganic Syntheses is a book series which aims to publish "detailed and foolproof" procedures for the synthesis of inorganic compounds. Although this series of books are edited, they usually are referenced like a journal, without mentioning the names of the checkers or the editor. A similar...
and edited Volume 10. He also edited books on boron chemistry and transition-metal hydrides and wrote reviews on complexes with unusual coordination numbers. A tribute to Muetterties has also published.
External links
- http://books.nap.edu/html/biomems/emuetterties.pdf Article on Earl Muetterties from the National Academy of Sciences.
- http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ic00181a600 Tribute to Earl Muetterties by Roald Hoffman.