Prizes are Good but Discoveries are Better

ALBERT ESCHENMOSER (1925--2023), the brilliant Swiss chemist quietly composed an autobiography describing his six professional decades just for the sake of its existence.

Already as a PhD student at ETH Zurich, he discerned patterns in the biogenesis of terpenes. His passion for synthesis of very complex molecules culminated in the world famous competitive collaboration with R.B. Woodward's group resulting in two total syntheses of Vitamin B12.

Albert Eschenmoser asked questions like How did life on Earth arise? Why did Nature choose the biomolecules we know? Clearly his vision went beyond synthesis he pondered about fundamental issues following his conviction: Life: perfectly commonplace and an everlasting miracle at the same time. Its emergence about four billion years ago is the most significant chemical property of matter.

This reflects Eschenmoser's unique stature among 20th century scientists.

l-i-c.org/1136

Autorentext
19551960 Pioneering research on vitamin B12 synthesis 1960 Promoted to associate professor; became full professor in 1965 1972 Completed total synthesis of vitamin B 1980s1990s Research on the chemical origins of nucleic acids; developed artificial genetic polymers such as TNA 1986 Awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry for work on natural product synthesis and reaction mechanisms 1992 Retired from ETH Zurich; continued research as professor at Scripps Research Institute 19962009

Inhalt

Preface

1 From Primary School to ETH (19321951)

1.1 Undergraduate studies
1.2 Military service
1.3 Student life
1.4 Diploma thesis and diploma
1.5 Zingiberene structure
1.6 Farnesene Rule
1.7 Jakob Schreiber, my first student
1.8 Hans Schinz, my doctoral thesis supervisor

2 From Postdoc to Privatdozent at ETH (19511960)

2.1 Founding the Eschenmoser group
2.2 Steroid syntheses
2.3 Base-induced fragmentation of C,C bonds
2.4 Biogenetic Isoprene Rule
2.5 Stereochemistry of acid-catalyzed polyene cyclizations
2.6 Stereochemical interpretation of the Biogenetic Isoprene Rule in triterpenes
2.7 First trip to the USA (1954)
2.8 Edgar Heilbronner and the benzotropylium cation
2.9 Determination of the relative configuration of secondary alicyclic alcohols
2.10 Total synthesis of colchicineDesacetylamino-colchicine
2.11 Laboratory of Organic Chemistry: from Ruzicka to Prelog

3 Professor at ETHReaction Mechanisms and Syntheses (19601992)

3.1 Courses and lectures at home and abroad
3.2 Visiting professor at MIT (1961)
3.3 Visiting professor at University of Wisconsin (1965)
3.4 Turbulent times at ETH
3.5 The corrin saga and the synthesis of vitamin B (19601972)
3.6 Post-B psychological and publication issues (19731992)
3.7 Research topics also running I (19601972)

4 Professor at ETHEtiologies and Prebiotics (19732008)

4.1 Chemical etiology of the vitamin B structure (19731988)
4.2 Research topics also running II (19731988)
4.3 Prebiotics (19762008)
4.4 Etiology of the structural type of natural nucleic acids (19872008)

5 Emeritus

5.1 University of Frankfurt (19931996)
5.2 The Scripps Research Institute (19962009)

6 Other Activities and Honors

6.1 Consulting
6.2 Lecture tours and symposia
6.3 Visiting professorships
6.4 Membership in academies
6.5 Awards

Concluding Remarks

• How this autobiography came about: the backstory
• PostLa Jolla activities

• Acknowledgements
  Appendix

• Biographical notes
• Vita
• Chemistree
• Holographs
• References
• Table of contents
• Links and literature
• Image sources
• Index