Richard R. Schrock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard R. Schrock
Richard Schrock during the Opening Ceremony of 44th International Chemistry Olympiad (2012)
Born	Richard Royce Schrock (1945-01-04) January 4, 1945 (age 80) Berne, Indiana, United States
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of California, Riverside (BA) Harvard University (PhD)
Known for	Organic chemistry Olefin metathesis reactions
Spouse(s)	Nancy Carlson ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	2
Awards	Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2005) Basolo Medal (2007) ForMemRS (2008)
Scientific career
Fields	Chemistry
Institutions	DuPont MIT University of Cambridge University of California, Riverside
Thesis	Synthesis and study of some Group VIII transition metal catalysts (1972)
Doctoral advisor	John A. Osborn (fr)
Other academic advisors	Jack Lewis (post doctoral)
Doctoral students	Guillermo Bazan Christopher C. Cummins
Other notable students	Post-docs: Geoffrey Cloke

Richard Royce Schrock is an American chemist. He was born on January 4, 1945. He won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his important work. He helped develop a special chemical reaction. This reaction is called olefin metathesis. It is very useful in organic chemistry, which is the study of carbon-based compounds.

Early Life and Education

Richard Schrock was born in Berne, Indiana. He grew up and went to high school in San Diego, California. After high school, he studied at the University of California, Riverside. He earned his first degree there in 1967. Later, he went to Harvard University and earned his PhD in 1971. His research there was guided by Professor John A. Osborn.

His Career in Chemistry

After finishing his PhD, Schrock did more research at the University of Cambridge in England. In 1972, he started working at DuPont, a big science company. He worked at their research center in Wilmington, Delaware.

In 1975, he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This is a very famous science and engineering school. He became a full professor there in 1980. Since 1989, he has been a special professor of chemistry at MIT. He is now a Professor Emeritus, which means he is retired but still connected to the university.

Schrock is also a member of important science groups. These include the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2007, he was chosen to be on the Board of Overseers for Harvard University.

He also helped start a company called XiMo, inc. This company works on developing and using special catalysts. These catalysts are important for the metathesis reaction he studied. In 2018, Schrock returned to his old university, the University of California, Riverside. He is now a Distinguished Professor there. He wanted to help and guide younger professors and students.

Important Research Discoveries

In 1974, Richard Schrock made a key discovery. He found a reaction that creates new types of chemical compounds. These compounds are called alkylidene and alkylidyne complexes.

At MIT, Schrock was the first to explain how certain "black box" catalysts work. These catalysts are used in olefin metathesis. He showed that his new reaction could make many different molybdenum or tungsten compounds. This meant scientists could design catalysts for specific purposes.

Schrock's work also showed that certain structures, called metallacyclobutanes, are very important. They are key steps in the olefin metathesis reaction. He also studied how to make ammonia from nitrogen gas. This work copied how nature does it using special enzymes.

His team explored many different supporting chemicals. This helped them understand how these catalysts work. A well-known catalyst from his work is now sold by companies like Sigma-Aldrich. These catalysts are used a lot in labs and in industry. Schrock continues to work on understanding metathesis. He aims to find new ways to make catalysts.

Awards and Honors

The Nobel Prize

In 2005, Richard Schrock won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He shared it with two other scientists, Robert H. Grubbs and Yves Chauvin. They won for their work on the olefin metathesis reaction. This reaction is a powerful tool in making new chemical compounds.

Besides the Nobel Prize, Schrock has received many other awards:

Personal Life

Richard Schrock married Nancy Carlson in 1971. They have two children, Andrew and Eric. Nancy Schrock worked at the MIT Libraries for many years. The family lives in Winchester, Massachusetts.