conformations accomplished in synthetic polymers) and trans-stereoisomers of
polyphenylacetylene and other polyarylacetylenes and their structural analysis by
NMR. This will be discussed later in this publication. Most of the work presented
was on the synthesis of the cis- and trans-stereoisomers of poly(pentadeuterophenylacetylene) because there was a single proton in the NMR spectrum of the repeat
unit of the polymer and its structure could be analyzed in great detail. Briefly, the
cis-isomers do not undergo cis–trans isomerization but instead an intramolecular
electrocyclization. Ringsdorf continued by saying that he would like to invite me to
the IUPAC Symposium on Macromolecules that would be organized in Mainz. My
answer was brief: “I would be very happy to attend, but unfortunately I am not
allowed to travel.” At this point, Ringsdorf interrupted our discussion. He said,
“since you are an Invited Speaker like me, you must have a car and a driver as I have
and an accompanying person as a translator. Ask the driver to follow my car. We
will go outside the city into the nearby forest. Ask the accompanying persons to let
us spend some time alone walking in the woods, and we will continue to talk about
your story.” This discussion led to a lasting friendship, scientific inspiration, and
long-lasting appreciation for the Staudinger scientific family. Cantow was a very
curious, dedicated, and friendly scientist but I did not know that so many from the
Staudinger scientific community were not only dedicated to science but also
concerned with the lives of other scientists. This discussion also facilitated travelling to scientific meetings, including the 1981 Makromolekulares Kolloquium in
Freiburg. However, after returning home from Freiburg I did not get permission to
travel again.
I will not disclose here how I ended up a few months later at the IUPAC on
Macromolecules in Strasbourg (July 6–9, 1981). I gave my presentation and
afterwards I met Ringsdorf, who gave me some good news. He said, “we have
just finished the Editorial Board meeting of Polymer Bulletin (which was the fastest
publishing journal in the field at that time and, due to its highly regarded editors,
Hans-Joachim Cantow, Joseph P. Kennedy and Takeo Saegusa, had a very high
reputation) and you were elected to its Editorial Board.” I had to confess to him that
I had just decided not to return to my native country. Ringsdorf said, “this could
delay our decision because we may not want to let your country believe that you
were elected because you defected.” He returned to the Editorial Board meeting
and, indeed, this was the final decision: elected, but to be printed on the Editorial
Board 1 year later. In my mind I said: “Welcome to the Western civilization!”
Cantow was the next to learn of my decision to defect. He was quick in his answer:
“You would be welcomed in Freiburg if you would like to join us.” A few days later
I was in Freiburg at the Hermann Staudinger Haus. I got a bench in the laboratory
and started to do experimental work the same day. Cantow gave me all the freedom.
Even today, I believe that at that time Hermann Staudinger Haus was the best place
on this planet to do research in macromolecular chemistry. Hans R. Kricheldorf,
Claus D. Eisenbach, Manfred Schmidt and many others were doing their “Habilitation” and soon became professors all over Germany. Martin Moller and Reimund
Stadler were doing their Ph.D.s in Cantow’s group. There were more seminars by
visitors from all over the world than you had time to attend. Walter H. Stockmayer
From Synthetic Macromolecules to Biological-Like Complex Systems
175
polyphenylacetylene and other polyarylacetylenes and their structural analysis by
NMR. This will be discussed later in this publication. Most of the work presented
was on the synthesis of the cis- and trans-stereoisomers of poly(pentadeuterophenylacetylene) because there was a single proton in the NMR spectrum of the repeat
unit of the polymer and its structure could be analyzed in great detail. Briefly, the
cis-isomers do not undergo cis–trans isomerization but instead an intramolecular
electrocyclization. Ringsdorf continued by saying that he would like to invite me to
the IUPAC Symposium on Macromolecules that would be organized in Mainz. My
answer was brief: “I would be very happy to attend, but unfortunately I am not
allowed to travel.” At this point, Ringsdorf interrupted our discussion. He said,
“since you are an Invited Speaker like me, you must have a car and a driver as I have
and an accompanying person as a translator. Ask the driver to follow my car. We
will go outside the city into the nearby forest. Ask the accompanying persons to let
us spend some time alone walking in the woods, and we will continue to talk about
your story.” This discussion led to a lasting friendship, scientific inspiration, and
long-lasting appreciation for the Staudinger scientific family. Cantow was a very
curious, dedicated, and friendly scientist but I did not know that so many from the
Staudinger scientific community were not only dedicated to science but also
concerned with the lives of other scientists. This discussion also facilitated travelling to scientific meetings, including the 1981 Makromolekulares Kolloquium in
Freiburg. However, after returning home from Freiburg I did not get permission to
travel again.
I will not disclose here how I ended up a few months later at the IUPAC on
Macromolecules in Strasbourg (July 6–9, 1981). I gave my presentation and
afterwards I met Ringsdorf, who gave me some good news. He said, “we have
just finished the Editorial Board meeting of Polymer Bulletin (which was the fastest
publishing journal in the field at that time and, due to its highly regarded editors,
Hans-Joachim Cantow, Joseph P. Kennedy and Takeo Saegusa, had a very high
reputation) and you were elected to its Editorial Board.” I had to confess to him that
I had just decided not to return to my native country. Ringsdorf said, “this could
delay our decision because we may not want to let your country believe that you
were elected because you defected.” He returned to the Editorial Board meeting
and, indeed, this was the final decision: elected, but to be printed on the Editorial
Board 1 year later. In my mind I said: “Welcome to the Western civilization!”
Cantow was the next to learn of my decision to defect. He was quick in his answer:
“You would be welcomed in Freiburg if you would like to join us.” A few days later
I was in Freiburg at the Hermann Staudinger Haus. I got a bench in the laboratory
and started to do experimental work the same day. Cantow gave me all the freedom.
Even today, I believe that at that time Hermann Staudinger Haus was the best place
on this planet to do research in macromolecular chemistry. Hans R. Kricheldorf,
Claus D. Eisenbach, Manfred Schmidt and many others were doing their “Habilitation” and soon became professors all over Germany. Martin Moller and Reimund
Stadler were doing their Ph.D.s in Cantow’s group. There were more seminars by
visitors from all over the world than you had time to attend. Walter H. Stockmayer
From Synthetic Macromolecules to Biological-Like Complex Systems
175