process was not yet clearly established. What came afterwards is told in the previous
sections of this chapter.
A precocious Parkinson disease forced Natta to a rather early retirement, which
makes me feel sad for him, and in a way for me too, because I dare to look at him as a
grandfather that I never met. When I read that he was a reserved, almost shy man I
have no difficulties in believing that. In my 20 years of collaboration with Paolo
Corradini and, for a much shorter but highly fascinating period, with Adolfo
Zambelli, I seldom heard them mention “Il Professore” or tell anecdotes about
him. They had been working under Natta for many years, and shared with him the
most heart-shaking experience a scientist could dream about, and yet “Il Professore”
seemed to me, through them, to be a silent presence in the background. Some of his
comments, of course, surfaced to their memories, and these were all modest, humble
even: “we have been lucky” was a recurrent one. On the other hand, Natta was of
course well-aware of the importance of his discoveries. I have been especially
impressed by a recollection of Lido Porri, another well-known Natta coworker, in
a recent article for a special issue of the Italian Chemical Society journal celebrating
the 50th anniversary of Natta’s Nobel Prize [53]. Porri recalls that Natta used to say:
“I believe that research in this field will continue until the next century.” Well,
“Professore,” here we are indeed!
References
1. Jansz J (2012) Fifth annual India chemical industry outlook conference, Mumbai, 23–24 February
2012. http://www.chemweek.com/Assets/Session3_EBB_Jansz.pdf. Accessed 21 December
2012
2. Patat F, Sinn H (1958) Angew Chem 70:496–500
3. Ziegler K, Gellert HG, Zosel K, Lehmkuhl W, Pfohl W (1955) Angew Chem 67:424
4. Tonelli AE (1989) NMR spectroscopy and polymer microstructure: the conformational connection. VCH, Deers Field
5. Resconi L, Cavallo L, Fait A, Piemontesi F (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1253–1346
6. Busico V, Cipullo R (2001) Prog Polym Sci 26:443–533
7. Boor J Jr (1979) Ziegler-Natta catalysts and polymerizations. Academic, New York
8. Jordan RF, Bajgur CS, Willett R, Scott B (1986) J Am Chem Soc 108:7410–7411
9. McDaniel MP (2010) Adv Catal 53:123–606
10. Chen EY-X, Marks TJ (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1391–1434
11. Moore EP Jr (ed) (1996) Polypropylene handbook: polymerization, characterization,
properties, applications. Hanser, Munich
12. Natta G, Allegra G, Corradini P (1961) J Polym Sci 156:399–410
13. Fischer K, Jonas K, Misbach P, Stabba R, Wilke G (1973) Angew Chem Int Ed 12:943–953
14. Speiser F, Braunstein P, Saussine L (2005) Acc Chem Res 38:784–793
15. Ittel SD, Johnson LK, Brookhart M (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1169–1204
16. Hagemeyer A, Strasser P, Volpe AF Jr (eds) (2004) High throughput screening in catalysis.
Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
17. Tullo AH (2010) C&EN 88(42):10–16
18. Auriemma F, Busico V, Corradini P, Trifuoggi M (1992) Eur Polym J 28:513–518
19. Busico V, Corradini P, De Martino L, Trifuoggi M (1992) Eur Polym J 28:519–523
20. Natta G, Corradini P (1959) J Polym Sci 39:29–46
21. Bunn CW (1942) Proc R Soc London A180:67–81
56
V. Busico
sections of this chapter.
A precocious Parkinson disease forced Natta to a rather early retirement, which
makes me feel sad for him, and in a way for me too, because I dare to look at him as a
grandfather that I never met. When I read that he was a reserved, almost shy man I
have no difficulties in believing that. In my 20 years of collaboration with Paolo
Corradini and, for a much shorter but highly fascinating period, with Adolfo
Zambelli, I seldom heard them mention “Il Professore” or tell anecdotes about
him. They had been working under Natta for many years, and shared with him the
most heart-shaking experience a scientist could dream about, and yet “Il Professore”
seemed to me, through them, to be a silent presence in the background. Some of his
comments, of course, surfaced to their memories, and these were all modest, humble
even: “we have been lucky” was a recurrent one. On the other hand, Natta was of
course well-aware of the importance of his discoveries. I have been especially
impressed by a recollection of Lido Porri, another well-known Natta coworker, in
a recent article for a special issue of the Italian Chemical Society journal celebrating
the 50th anniversary of Natta’s Nobel Prize [53]. Porri recalls that Natta used to say:
“I believe that research in this field will continue until the next century.” Well,
“Professore,” here we are indeed!
References
1. Jansz J (2012) Fifth annual India chemical industry outlook conference, Mumbai, 23–24 February
2012. http://www.chemweek.com/Assets/Session3_EBB_Jansz.pdf. Accessed 21 December
2012
2. Patat F, Sinn H (1958) Angew Chem 70:496–500
3. Ziegler K, Gellert HG, Zosel K, Lehmkuhl W, Pfohl W (1955) Angew Chem 67:424
4. Tonelli AE (1989) NMR spectroscopy and polymer microstructure: the conformational connection. VCH, Deers Field
5. Resconi L, Cavallo L, Fait A, Piemontesi F (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1253–1346
6. Busico V, Cipullo R (2001) Prog Polym Sci 26:443–533
7. Boor J Jr (1979) Ziegler-Natta catalysts and polymerizations. Academic, New York
8. Jordan RF, Bajgur CS, Willett R, Scott B (1986) J Am Chem Soc 108:7410–7411
9. McDaniel MP (2010) Adv Catal 53:123–606
10. Chen EY-X, Marks TJ (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1391–1434
11. Moore EP Jr (ed) (1996) Polypropylene handbook: polymerization, characterization,
properties, applications. Hanser, Munich
12. Natta G, Allegra G, Corradini P (1961) J Polym Sci 156:399–410
13. Fischer K, Jonas K, Misbach P, Stabba R, Wilke G (1973) Angew Chem Int Ed 12:943–953
14. Speiser F, Braunstein P, Saussine L (2005) Acc Chem Res 38:784–793
15. Ittel SD, Johnson LK, Brookhart M (2000) Chem Rev 100(4):1169–1204
16. Hagemeyer A, Strasser P, Volpe AF Jr (eds) (2004) High throughput screening in catalysis.
Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
17. Tullo AH (2010) C&EN 88(42):10–16
18. Auriemma F, Busico V, Corradini P, Trifuoggi M (1992) Eur Polym J 28:513–518
19. Busico V, Corradini P, De Martino L, Trifuoggi M (1992) Eur Polym J 28:519–523
20. Natta G, Corradini P (1959) J Polym Sci 39:29–46
21. Bunn CW (1942) Proc R Soc London A180:67–81
56
V. Busico