University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

John William Baker and the origin of the Baker-Nathan effect

Saltzman, Martin D.

Content Files
bhc2012v037p082.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127834

Description

Title
John William Baker and the origin of the Baker-Nathan effect
Author(s)
Saltzman, Martin D.
Issue Date
2012-09-15
Keyword(s)
  • History
  • Chemistry
  • Biog baker org chem baker nathan effect
Abstract
This paper will first deal with the life of John William Baker, then examine how Baker and his collaborator, Wilfred Samuel Nathan, discovered what was believed to be the first example of hyperconjugation. Next, it will briefly discuss the downfall of the Baker-Nathan effect as an explanation of what happens in unexpected rate accelerations in reactions in solns. It would seem that the disappearance of the Baker-Nathan effect from chem. literature is due to a combination of doubt over the utility of the concept in its original and rather restricted realm of application (reactivity in soln.) and a shift in research interests in phys. org. chem. more widely. The concept of hyperconjugation is still used in certain contexts. Although there is still controversy among theoreticians about hyperconjugation, Baker and Nathan as a result of their 1935 expts. opened a new way to explain many puzzling problems in org. chem.
Publisher
Division of the History of Chemistry
ISSN
1053-4385
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
article
Language
eng
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127834
DOI
https://doi.org/10.70359/bhc2012v037p082
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2012 Division of the History of Chemistry

Owning Collections

Bulletin for the History of Chemistry: Volume 37, Number 2, 2012 PRIMARY