"Myth or Fact? The Woodward-Doering Total Synthesis of Quinine. A Story of the Human Side of Science"

Time: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Place: 6th Floor Conference Room, Chemical Heritage Foundation

In 1944, to wide acclaim, two young chemists—R. B. Woodward and William Doering—reported “The Total Synthesis of Quinine.” It was hailed as an extraordinary feat of science and a breakthrough in the country’s war effort, as quinine was then the antimalarial of choice. America lost more men to malaria in the South Pacific than to enemy fire. For almost 60 years, the Woodward-Doering quinine synthesis was universally considered to be an important milestone in organic chemistry. But in 2000 and 2001, the eminent chemist Gilbert Stork asserted that Woodward and Doering’s synthesis was a myth. The editor of Chemical & Engineering News wrote an editorial titled, “Setting the Record Straight,” praising Stork for correcting this myth. By and large, the organic synthetic community reversed its opinion overnight. Could it be that Woodward and Doering were wrong? This presentation will, in fact, set the record straight. The human side of science—egos, ethics, and hierarchy—all play a role in this story.