Derek Barton facts for kids

Insignia of a Knight Bachelor

Sir Derek Harold Richard Barton (born September 8, 1918 – died March 16, 1998) was a famous English organic chemist. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1969 for his important work.

Becoming a Chemist

Derek Barton was born in Gravesend, Kent, England. He went to several schools as a young person. These included Gravesend Grammar School and Tonbridge School.

He later studied at Imperial College London. There, he earned his first university degree in 1940. He then got his PhD degree in Organic Chemistry in 1942. A PhD is a very high university degree.

His Amazing Career

After finishing his studies, Barton worked as a government research chemist. He also worked for a company called Albright and Wilson. Later, he became a teacher at Imperial College London.

In 1949, he visited Harvard University in the United States. He taught about natural products chemistry there. He then became a professor at Birkbeck College in London.

In 1955, he became a professor at the University of Glasgow. Then, in 1957, he returned to Imperial College London as a professor.

What is Conformational Analysis?

In 1950, Derek Barton made a big discovery. He showed that organic molecules have a favorite shape. This shape is called a "conformation." Think of it like a flexible toy that can bend in different ways. But it usually rests in one specific, most comfortable shape.

He used ideas from other scientists, especially Odd Hassel. This new way of looking at molecules was called conformational analysis. It helped chemists understand how molecules behave.

Barton used this method to figure out the shapes of many natural products. These are chemicals found in nature.

Winning the Nobel Prize

In 1969, Derek Barton shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He shared it with Odd Hassel. They won for their work on "conformational analysis." Their discoveries helped chemists design new medicines and materials.

More Achievements

Barton was invited to teach at many famous universities. These included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He received many awards for his work. In 1954, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important science group in the UK. He was also knighted in 1972. This means he was given the title "Sir."

In 1978, he became the Director of a research center in France. It was called the Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles.

In 1977, the British Post Office honored him. They put his picture on a postage stamp. He was one of six Nobel Prize-winning British chemists to get this honor.

In 1986, Sir Derek moved to the United States. He became a professor at Texas A&M University. He worked there for 12 years until he passed away.

Barton's Legacy

Sir Derek Barton wrote a book in 1996. It was called Reason and Imagination: Reflections on Research in Organic Chemistry.

His name is also remembered in many chemical reactions. These are special ways that chemicals change. Some examples are the Barton reaction and the Barton-McCombie deoxygenation.

The science building at Tonbridge School is named after him. This is the school he attended as a teenager.

Honors and Awards

Sir Derek Barton received many honors during his life:

• He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1954.
• He became a member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 1966.
• He was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1970.
• He received the title of Knight Bachelor in 1972.
• He was awarded the Légion d'honneur from France in 1972.

Personal Life

Sir Derek Barton was married three times. He had one son from his first marriage.

See also

In Spanish: Derek Barton para niños