Where is physical organic chemistry going?

Abstract

John D. Roberts graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with an A. B. (hons) degree in 1941 and the Ph. D. degree in 1944. His academic career began in 1945, as Instructor at UCLA. In 1945-1946 he was National Research Council Fellow and Instructor at Harvard. He went to MIT in 1946 as an Instructor, was Assistant Professor in 1947 and Associate Professor in 1950. In 1953 he became Professor of Organic Chemistry at Caltech and in 1972 Institute Professor of Chemistry. He is now Institute Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus and Lecturer. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1956) and the American Philosophical Society (1974). He received the Welch Award (1990, with W. E. Doering), the National Medal of Science (1990), and the ACS Arthur C. Cope Award (1994). Since 1939 his research has been concerned with the mechanisms of organic reactions and the chemistry of small-ring compounds. His current work involves applications of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to physical organic chemistry.