Homer Burton Adkins
Encyclopedia
Dr. Homer Burton Adkins, Ph.D. (January 16, 1892 Newport, Ohio
–August 10, 1949 Madison, Wisconsin
) was an American chemist
who studied the hydrogenation
of organic compounds.
and received his Ph.D. at Ohio State University
in 1918.
Adkins was a world authority on the hydrogenation
of organic compounds and he developed the Adkins catalyst
partly based on interrogation of German chemists after World War II in relation to the Fischer-Tropsch process
. Adkins also coined the word hydrogenolysis
to describe the chemical reaction
in which a molecule
is broken into smaller molecules by the reaction of hydrogen
. He developed the Adkins-Peterson reaction
with Wesley J. Peterson.
Adkins' famous description of scientific research is:
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
–August 10, 1949 Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
) was an American chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
who studied the hydrogenation
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenation, to treat with hydrogen, also a form of chemical reduction, is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic compounds. Hydrogenation typically...
of organic compounds.
Life and work
Adkins received his undergraduate degree at Denison UniversityDenison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
and received his Ph.D. at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1918.
Adkins was a world authority on the hydrogenation
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenation, to treat with hydrogen, also a form of chemical reduction, is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic compounds. Hydrogenation typically...
of organic compounds and he developed the Adkins catalyst
Adkins catalyst
Copper chromite is a complex inorganic composition Cu2Cr2O5, but often containing barium oxide that is used to catalyse certain reactions in organic synthesis. It was first described in 1908. A variety of composition are recognized including Cr2CuO4·CuO·BaCrO4 and Cr2Cu2O5...
partly based on interrogation of German chemists after World War II in relation to the Fischer-Tropsch process
Fischer-Tropsch process
The Fischer–Tropsch process is a set of chemical reactions that convert a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The process, a key component of gas to liquids technology, produces a petroleum substitute, typically from coal, natural gas, or biomass for use as synthetic...
. Adkins also coined the word hydrogenolysis
Hydrogenolysis
Hydrogenolysis is a chemical reaction whereby a carbon–carbon or carbon–heteroatom single bond is cleaved or undergoes "lysis" by hydrogen. The heteroatom may vary, but it usually is oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur. A related reaction is hydrogenation, where hydrogen is added to the molecule, without...
to describe the chemical reaction
Chemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...
in which a molecule
Molecule
A molecule is an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from ions by their electrical charge...
is broken into smaller molecules by the reaction of hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
. He developed the Adkins-Peterson reaction
Adkins-Peterson reaction
The Adkins-Peterson reaction is the air oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde with metal oxide catalysts such as iron oxide, molybdenum trioxide or combinations thereof.It was developed by Homer Burton Adkins and Wesley R. Peterson.- References :#...
with Wesley J. Peterson.
Adkins' famous description of scientific research is:
- Basic research is like shooting an arrow into the air and, where it lands, painting a target.
External links
- http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~mainzv/Web_Genealogy/Info/adkinshb.pdf
- http://books.nap.edu/html/biomems/hadkins.pdf