William Standish Knowles
Encyclopedia
William S. Knowles is an American
chemist
. He was born in Taunton, Massachusetts
. Knowles was one of the recipients of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
. He shared half the prize with Ryōji Noyori
for their work in asymmetric synthesis, specifically for his work in hydrogenation reactions. The other half was awarded to K. Barry Sharpless
for his work in oxidation reactions.
in Berkshire, Massachusetts
. He led his class academically. Upon graduating high school, he was admitted to Harvard University
after passing the College Board
exams. Feeling that he was too young to go to college, Knowles spent a year at a prep school in Andover, Massachusetts. At the end of the year, he captured his first award in chemistry, the school's $50 Boylston prize.
After his year in prep school, Knowles attended Harvard, where he majored in chemistry
, focusing on organic chemistry
. He received his undergraduate degree in 1939, and attended Columbia University
for graduate school.
in 2001 with Ryōji Noyori
; the other half of the Prize was awarded to K. Barry Sharpless
for the development of catalytic asymmetric synthesis, which is a technology relevant to the preparation of many pharmaceuticals. Knowles led a team of researchers that developed chiral phosphine ligands that proved effective in the enantioselective synthesis of L-DOPA. Knowles conducted this prize-winning research at Monsanto Company.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
. He was born in Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
. Knowles was one of the recipients of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
. He shared half the prize with Ryōji Noyori
Ryoji Noyori
is a Japanese chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001. Noyori shared half of the prize with William S. Knowles for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations; the second half of the Prize went to K. Barry Sharpless for his study in chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions...
for their work in asymmetric synthesis, specifically for his work in hydrogenation reactions. The other half was awarded to K. Barry Sharpless
K. Barry Sharpless
Karl Barry Sharpless is an American chemist known for his work on stereoselective reactions.-Early years:Sharpless was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from Friends' Central School in 1959. He continued his studies at Dartmouth College and earned his Ph.D from Stanford University in 1968...
for his work in oxidation reactions.
Education
Knowles attended boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Berkshire, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He led his class academically. Upon graduating high school, he was admitted to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
after passing the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
exams. Feeling that he was too young to go to college, Knowles spent a year at a prep school in Andover, Massachusetts. At the end of the year, he captured his first award in chemistry, the school's $50 Boylston prize.
After his year in prep school, Knowles attended Harvard, where he majored in 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....
, focusing on organic chemistry
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...
. He received his undergraduate degree in 1939, and attended 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...
for graduate school.
Awards and honors
- In 2008, Knowles received the Peter H. RavenPeter H. RavenPeter Hamilton Raven is a botanist and environmentalist, notable as the longtime director, now President Emeritus, of the Missouri Botanical Garden.-Early life:...
Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Academy of Science, St. LouisAcademy of Science, St. LouisThe Academy of Science - St. Louis is a non-profit organization in St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to science literacy and education. It was founded in 1856 by a group of scientists and businessmen in St. Louis, including George Engelmann and James B. Eads, the Academy has been involved in many...
.
Nobel Prize
He shared half of the Nobel Prize in ChemistryNobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
in 2001 with Ryōji Noyori
Ryoji Noyori
is a Japanese chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001. Noyori shared half of the prize with William S. Knowles for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations; the second half of the Prize went to K. Barry Sharpless for his study in chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions...
; the other half of the Prize was awarded to K. Barry Sharpless
K. Barry Sharpless
Karl Barry Sharpless is an American chemist known for his work on stereoselective reactions.-Early years:Sharpless was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from Friends' Central School in 1959. He continued his studies at Dartmouth College and earned his Ph.D from Stanford University in 1968...
for the development of catalytic asymmetric synthesis, which is a technology relevant to the preparation of many pharmaceuticals. Knowles led a team of researchers that developed chiral phosphine ligands that proved effective in the enantioselective synthesis of L-DOPA. Knowles conducted this prize-winning research at Monsanto Company.
External links
- Knowles's Nobel Foundation biography
- Knowles's Nobel Lecture Asymmetric Hydrogenations