Jack D. Dunitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack D. Dunitz
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| Born |
Jack David Dunitz
29 March 1923 Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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| Died | 12 September 2021 (aged 98) |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Known for | Bürgi–Dunitz angle |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara Steuer |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (1974) Gregori Aminoff Prize (1990) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | ETH Zurich University of Glasgow University of Oxford California Institute of Technology US National Institute of Health Royal Institution |
| Thesis | The crystal and molecular structure of acetylene dicarboxylic acid dihydrate and of diacetylene dicarboxylic acid dihydrate (1946 submitted, accepted 1947) |
| Doctoral advisor | J. Monteath Robertson |
| Other academic advisors | Dorothy Hodgkin Linus Pauling Lawrence Bragg |
| Doctoral students | Hans-Beat Bürgi Fritz K. Winkler |
| Other notable students | Odile Eisenstein (postdoc) Keith Hodgson (postdoc) |
Jack David Dunitz (born March 29, 1923 – died September 12, 2021) was a famous British chemist. He was especially known for his work in chemical crystallography. This is a science that looks at how atoms are arranged in crystals.
From 1957 until he retired in 1990, he was a professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. He also worked as a visiting professor in many countries, including the United States, Israel, and Japan. In 1953, he married Barbara Steuer. They had two daughters, Marguerite and Julia Gabrielle.
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Early Life and School
Jack Dunitz was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He went to high school at Hillhead High School and Hutchesons' Grammar School. After that, he studied at the University of Glasgow. There, he earned his first degree in science and later his PhD in 1947.
He also did research at several other important places. These included Oxford University, the California Institute of Technology, and the US National Institutes of Health.
Amazing Discoveries in Chemistry
Jack Dunitz used crystal structure analysis in his research. This means he studied how atoms are arranged in crystals to solve chemical problems. He wanted to understand how molecules are built and how they react.
In his early work, he studied molecules like cyclobutane and ferrocene. He helped explain how their electrons are arranged. With another scientist named Orgel, he also explained why some spinel minerals have unusual shapes. This was linked to something called the Jahn-Teller effect.
Later, at ETH Zurich, Dunitz continued his important work. He studied how molecules change their shape and how they react. He also looked at how different substances interact with each other. One of his most famous discoveries is the Bürgi–Dunitz angle. This helps scientists understand how molecules behave when they are reacting.
He was also known for "Dunitz's Rule." This rule playfully suggests that almost any scientific paper can be made better by removing its first sentence!
Awards and Special Honors
Jack Dunitz received many awards and honors for his work. In 1974, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
He was also a member of many other important science groups around the world. These included the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the US National Academy of Sciences. He was also an honorary member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Some of his major awards included:
- The Paracelsus Prize in 1986.
- The Gregori Aminoff Prize in 1990.
- The M.J. Buerger Award in 1991.
He also received honorary doctorates from several universities. These included the Technion in Israel and his old university, the University of Glasgow.
His Final Years
Jack Dunitz passed away on September 12, 2021. He was 98 years old. He left behind a great legacy in the world of chemistry and crystallography.
