Fred McLafferty
Encyclopedia
Fred Warren McLafferty is an American chemist known for his work in mass spectrometry
. He is best known for the McLafferty rearrangement
reaction that was observed with mass spectrometry. WIth Roland Gohlke, he pioneered the technique of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
. He is also known for electron capture dissociation
, a method of fragmenting gas phase ions.
, graduating from Omaha North High School
in 1940. The urgent requirements of World War II
accelerated his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska; he obtained his B.S. degree in 1943 and thereafter entered the US armed forces. He served in western Europe during the invasion of Germany and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge
, a Purple Heart
, Five Bronze Star
Medals and a
Presidential Unit Citation.
He returned to the University of Nebraska in late 1945 and completed his M.S. degree in 1947. He went on to work under William Miller at Cornell University
where he earned his Ph.D. in 1950. He went on to a postdoctoral researcher
position at the University of Iowa
with R.L. Shriner.
in 1950 and was in charge of mass spectrometry and gas chromatography from 1950 to 1956. In 1956, he became the Director of Dow’s Eastern Research Lab in Framingham, Massachusetts
. During this time, he developed the first GC/MS instruments and developed techniques for determining the structure of organic molecules by mass spectrometry, most notably in the discovery of what is now known as the McLafferty rearrangement.
. In 1968, he returned to his alma mater, Cornell University, to become the Peter J. W. Debye Professor of Chemistry. He was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences
in 1982. While at Cornell, McLafferty assembled one of the first comprehensive data bases of mass spectra and pioneered artificial intelligence techniques to interpret GC/MS results. His PBM STIRS program has widespread use to save hours of time consuming work otherwise required to manually analyze GC/MS results.
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles.It is used for determining masses of particles, for determining the elemental composition of a sample or molecule, and for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and...
. He is best known for the McLafferty rearrangement
McLafferty rearrangement
The McLafferty rearrangement is a reaction observed in mass spectrometry. It is sometimes found that a molecule containing a keto-group undergoes β-cleavage, with the gain of the γ-hydrogen atom...
reaction that was observed with mass spectrometry. WIth Roland Gohlke, he pioneered the technique of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry is a method that combines the features of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC-MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation,...
. He is also known for electron capture dissociation
Electron capture dissociation
Electron-capture dissociation is a method of fragmenting gas phase ions for tandem mass spectrometric analysis . ECD involves the direct introduction of low energy electrons to trapped gas phase ions...
, a method of fragmenting gas phase ions.
Early life and education
Fred McLafferty was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1923, but attended grade school in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, graduating from Omaha North High School
Omaha North High School
Omaha North High Magnet School is a public high school located at 4410 N 36th Street in Omaha, Nebraska. The school is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics magnet school in the Omaha Public Schools district. North has won several awards, including being named a 2007 Magnet Schools of...
in 1940. The urgent requirements of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
accelerated his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska; he obtained his B.S. degree in 1943 and thereafter entered the US armed forces. He served in western Europe during the invasion of Germany and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
, a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, Five Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
Medals and a
Presidential Unit Citation.
He returned to the University of Nebraska in late 1945 and completed his M.S. degree in 1947. He went on to work under William Miller at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
where he earned his Ph.D. in 1950. He went on to a postdoctoral researcher
Postdoctoral researcher
Postdoctoral research is scholarly research conducted by a person who has recently completed doctoral studies, normally within the previous five years. It is intended to further deepen expertise in a specialist subject, including acquiring novel skills and methods...
position at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
with R.L. Shriner.
Dow Chemical
He took a position at Dow Chemical in Midland, MichiganMidland, Michigan
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in 1950 and was in charge of mass spectrometry and gas chromatography from 1950 to 1956. In 1956, he became the Director of Dow’s Eastern Research Lab in Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. During this time, he developed the first GC/MS instruments and developed techniques for determining the structure of organic molecules by mass spectrometry, most notably in the discovery of what is now known as the McLafferty rearrangement.
Academic career
From 1964 to 1968, he was Professor of Chemistry at Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. In 1968, he returned to his alma mater, Cornell University, to become the Peter J. W. Debye Professor of Chemistry. He was elected to the United States 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...
in 1982. While at Cornell, McLafferty assembled one of the first comprehensive data bases of mass spectra and pioneered artificial intelligence techniques to interpret GC/MS results. His PBM STIRS program has widespread use to save hours of time consuming work otherwise required to manually analyze GC/MS results.
See also
- McLafferty rearrangementMcLafferty rearrangementThe McLafferty rearrangement is a reaction observed in mass spectrometry. It is sometimes found that a molecule containing a keto-group undergoes β-cleavage, with the gain of the γ-hydrogen atom...
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometryGas chromatography-mass spectrometryGas chromatography–mass spectrometry is a method that combines the features of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC-MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation,...
- Electron capture dissociationElectron capture dissociationElectron-capture dissociation is a method of fragmenting gas phase ions for tandem mass spectrometric analysis . ECD involves the direct introduction of low energy electrons to trapped gas phase ions...
External links
- Cornell Faculty Page
- A Conversation with Fred W. McLafferty 2006, 90 minute video, for Cornell University.
- Conversation with Fred McLafferty by Mike Grayson in 2007 184 pages, oral history transcript, for Chemical Heritage Foundation.