appointments at the University of Strasbourg (1903–1907) where in 1905 at the age
of 24 he discovered ketenes. In 1907, he discovered the cycloaddition of ketenes
with imines, still the most general and useful method for the synthesis of b-lactams.
In the same year, he obtained his Habilitation in the laboratory of Johannes Thiele
and moved to the University of Karlsruhe as a junior faculty where, in parallel with
his work in the field of organic chemistry, he became interested in polymers. In
1912, at the age of 31, he moved to become full professor at ETH in Zu ¨rich and in
the same year published his famous book on ketenes. In 1919, he discovered the
reaction of azides with phosphines to produce phosphazenes and, subsequently, in
the presence of water to yield primary amines. This reaction is known as the
“Staudinger reaction” or “Staudinger reduction.” In the year 2000, the Staudinger
reaction was expanded and elaborated by Carolyn R. Bertozzi into the “Staudinger
ligation,” which has been labeled by some authors as “a gift to chemical biology.”
The three Staudinger reactions mentioned here are fundamental in organic chemistry and numerous publications discussing and debating their mechanisms, as well as
reviews on them, are being published as I am writing this Preface. No references to
them are listed here because most of them are cited in the publications of this
special issue. A search of SciFinder will help those interested in finding recent
publications on his work and on the very active current research on the Staudinger
reactions.
In a publication from 1920, Staudinger coined the name “Makromoleku ¨le” and
in 1922 he generated the correct definition of “macromolecules,” stating: “For
such colloid particles, in which the molecule is identical with the primary
particle, and in which the individual atoms of this colloid molecule are linked
together by covalent bonds, we propose for better definition the name macromolecule.”
In 1926, he moved to the University of Freiburg to replace his “friendly adviser”
Heinrich Otto Wieland, who was to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1927. In
Freiburg, Staudinger focused all his research on macromolecules and stayed until
he retired from the University in 1951 and as Director of his Institute in 1956.
Staudinger received the first Nobel Prize for the field of macromolecular chemistry
in 1953, the same year that Watson and Crick published their Nature paper on the
double helix of the natural macromolecule DNA. In 1940, Staudinger started the
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Freiburg, the first in this
field in Europe, which received the name “Hermann Staudinger Haus” in 1981. On
19 April 1999, the American Chemical Society together with the German Chemical
Society honored the Staudinger Laboratory in Freiburg as an “International Historic
Landmark of Chemistry.” Wallace H. Carothers, of the Experimental Station of Du
Pont, and Hermann F. Mark, to name just two of many, were also influential in
establishing the concept of polymers and macromolecules. However, it was the
credibility and the reputation of Hermann Staudinger in the field of traditional
organic chemistry who helped to set the future of “macromolecular chemistry” as
the newest discipline of organic chemistry. If Hermann Staudinger had not started
the field of macromolecular chemistry, he most probably would have received a
xii
Preface
of 24 he discovered ketenes. In 1907, he discovered the cycloaddition of ketenes
with imines, still the most general and useful method for the synthesis of b-lactams.
In the same year, he obtained his Habilitation in the laboratory of Johannes Thiele
and moved to the University of Karlsruhe as a junior faculty where, in parallel with
his work in the field of organic chemistry, he became interested in polymers. In
1912, at the age of 31, he moved to become full professor at ETH in Zu ¨rich and in
the same year published his famous book on ketenes. In 1919, he discovered the
reaction of azides with phosphines to produce phosphazenes and, subsequently, in
the presence of water to yield primary amines. This reaction is known as the
“Staudinger reaction” or “Staudinger reduction.” In the year 2000, the Staudinger
reaction was expanded and elaborated by Carolyn R. Bertozzi into the “Staudinger
ligation,” which has been labeled by some authors as “a gift to chemical biology.”
The three Staudinger reactions mentioned here are fundamental in organic chemistry and numerous publications discussing and debating their mechanisms, as well as
reviews on them, are being published as I am writing this Preface. No references to
them are listed here because most of them are cited in the publications of this
special issue. A search of SciFinder will help those interested in finding recent
publications on his work and on the very active current research on the Staudinger
reactions.
In a publication from 1920, Staudinger coined the name “Makromoleku ¨le” and
in 1922 he generated the correct definition of “macromolecules,” stating: “For
such colloid particles, in which the molecule is identical with the primary
particle, and in which the individual atoms of this colloid molecule are linked
together by covalent bonds, we propose for better definition the name macromolecule.”
In 1926, he moved to the University of Freiburg to replace his “friendly adviser”
Heinrich Otto Wieland, who was to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1927. In
Freiburg, Staudinger focused all his research on macromolecules and stayed until
he retired from the University in 1951 and as Director of his Institute in 1956.
Staudinger received the first Nobel Prize for the field of macromolecular chemistry
in 1953, the same year that Watson and Crick published their Nature paper on the
double helix of the natural macromolecule DNA. In 1940, Staudinger started the
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Freiburg, the first in this
field in Europe, which received the name “Hermann Staudinger Haus” in 1981. On
19 April 1999, the American Chemical Society together with the German Chemical
Society honored the Staudinger Laboratory in Freiburg as an “International Historic
Landmark of Chemistry.” Wallace H. Carothers, of the Experimental Station of Du
Pont, and Hermann F. Mark, to name just two of many, were also influential in
establishing the concept of polymers and macromolecules. However, it was the
credibility and the reputation of Hermann Staudinger in the field of traditional
organic chemistry who helped to set the future of “macromolecular chemistry” as
the newest discipline of organic chemistry. If Hermann Staudinger had not started
the field of macromolecular chemistry, he most probably would have received a
xii
Preface