Member-only story

National Chemistry Week: Honoring Barry McBride

Sammy Powell

·6.8k Followers· Follow

Published in National 4 Chemistry Barry McBride

4 min read

559 View Claps

39 Respond

Save

Listen

National Chemistry Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of chemists to our world. This year, we are honoring Barry McBride, a pioneering chemist who made significant advances in the field of organometallic chemistry.

National 4 Chemistry

by Barry McBride

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	42372 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	164 pages

McBride was born in 1932 in New York City. He earned his B.S. in chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross in 1954 and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1958. After completing his postdoctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, McBride joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1961.

McBride's research focused on the synthesis and reactivity of organometallic compounds. Organometallic compounds are compounds that contain at least one bond between a carbon atom and a metal atom. These compounds are important in a wide variety of applications, including catalysis, pharmaceuticals, and materials science.

McBride made several important discoveries in the field of organometallic chemistry. In 1964, he discovered the "McBride rearrangement," a reaction that converts an alkyllithium compound into an alkenyllithium compound. This reaction is used in the synthesis of a variety of organic compounds.

In 1968, McBride discovered the "McBride-Robertson reagent," a reagent that is used to convert aldehydes and ketones into enolates. Enolates are important intermediates in a variety of organic reactions.

McBride's work has had a profound impact on the field of organometallic chemistry. His discoveries have led to the development of new methods for the synthesis of organic compounds and have helped to improve our understanding of the reactivity of organometallic compounds.

In addition to his research, McBride was also a dedicated educator. He taught chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara for over 40 years. He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

McBride passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on. He is remembered as one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century. His work has helped to shape the field of organometallic chemistry and has had a profound impact on our world.