Prof Alexander William WilliamsonFRSFRSEPCS MRIA (1 May 1824 – 6 May 1904)[1] was an English chemist. He is best known today for the Williamson ether synthesis.
Williamson was born in 1824 in Wandsworth, London, the second of three children of Alexander Williamson (originally from Elgin) a clerk with the East India Company and his wife, Antonia McAndrew, daughter of a prominent London merchant. Despite early physical infirmity, the loss of sight in one eye and a largely useless left arm, Williamson grew up in a caring and stimulating intellectual environment. After an early childhood spent in Brighton and then schools in Kensington, Williams enrolled at the University of Heidelberg in 1841. After working under Leopold Gmelin at Heidelberg, he transferred to the University of Giessen to work with Justus von Liebig, where he received his PhD in 1845. Williamson then spent three years in Paris studying higher mathematics under Auguste Comte.[2][3]
In 1849, with the support of Thomas Graham, Williamson was appointed professor of analytical and practical chemistry at University College, London. From Graham's resignation in 1855 until Williamson's retirement in 1887, Williamson also held the chair of general (theoretical) chemistry.[2]
As a result of this increase in income,[2] he was able to marry Emma Catherine Key, the third daughter of Thomas Hewitt Key, in 1855.[1] They had two children: Oliver Key (d. 1941) and Alice Maude.[2] Alice Maud Williamson married the physicist Alfred Henry Fison (1857–1923).
Williamson died on 6 May 1904, at High Pitfold, Shottermill near Haslemere in Surrey, England, and was buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey.[4]
Research on ethers
Alexander Williamson
Williamson is credited for his research on the formation of unsymmetrical ethers by the interaction of an alkoxide with a haloalkane, known as the Williamson ether synthesis. He regarded ethers and alcohols as substances analogous to and built up on the same type as water, and he further introduced the water-type as a widely applicable basis for the classification of chemical compounds. The method of stating the rational constitution of bodies by comparison with water he believed capable of wide extension, and that one type, he thought, would suffice for all inorganic compounds, as well as for the best-known organic ones, the formula of water being taken in certain cases as doubled or tripled.[5][6][7]
So far back as 1850 he also suggested a view which, in a modified form, is of fundamental importance in the modern theory of ionic dissociation, for, in a paper on the theory of the formation of ether, he urged that in an aggregate of molecules of any compound there is an exchange constantly going on between the elements which are contained in it; for instance, in hydrochloric acid each atom of hydrogen does not remain quietly in juxtaposition with the atom of chlorine with which it first united, but changes places with other atoms of hydrogen. A somewhat similar hypothesis was put forward by Rudolf Clausius about the same time.[5]
In 1863 five students from the Chōshūclan were smuggled out of Japan. At the time Japan was still a closed society; the laws of the Tokugawa Shogunate making travel to another country a capital offence. After an arduous journey reaching London, the students were placed under the care of Professor Williamson. He and his wife Catherine welcomed the group into their home, taught them English, introduced them to western society, and arranged for them to study as non-matriculated students at University College London. Itō Shunsuke (later Itō Hirobumi), Endō Kinsuke and Nomura Yakichi (later Inoue Masaru) lived with the Williamsons at their Camden home, while Inoue Monta (later Inoue Kaoru), and Yamao Yōzō lived adjacent to the university in Gower Street.[8]
The Chōshū Five as they later became known all served in the Japanese government, and made significant scientific and social contributions to the modernisation of Japan. Fourteen more international Japanese students, from the Satsuma clan, later worked with Williamson beginning in 1865.[8]
Honours and awards
Papers on etherification and on the constitution of salts, 1949
For his work on etherification, Williamson received a Royal medal from the Royal Society in 1862, of which he became a fellow in 1855, and which he served as foreign secretary from 1873 to 1889. He was twice president of the London Chemical Society, from 1863 to 1865 and from 1869 to 1871.[5][9]
References
^ ab"WILLIAMSON, Alexander William". Who's who biographies, 1901. 1901. p. 1197.
^ abcd"Williamson Papers". University College London Special Collections.
^Foster, G. Carey (1911). "Gedächtnisfeier: Alexander William Williamson". Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft. 44 (3): 2253–2269. doi:10.1002/cber.19110440339.
^Harris, J.; Brock, W. H. (1978). "From Giessen to Gower Street: Towards a Biography of Alexander William Williamson (1824–1904)". Annals of Science. Taylor & Francis. 31 (2): 95–130. doi:10.1080/00033797400200171.
^ abcOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Williamson, Alexander William". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 684.
^Paul, E. Robert (1978). "Alexander W. Williamson on the atomic theory: A study of nineteenth-century British atomism". Annals of Science. 35 (1): 17–31. doi:10.1080/00033797800200111.
^Williamson, Alexander (1850). "Theory of Aetherification". Philosophical Magazine. Vol. 37, no. 251. pp. 350–356. doi:10.1080/14786445008646627.
^ abDavies, Alwyn (2014). "Alexander Williamson and the Modernisation of Japan" (PDF). Royal Society of Chemistry Historical Group Newsletter and Summary of Papers. 65 (Winter): 276–90. doi:10.3184/003685015X14388848108342. PMID 26601342. S2CID 13604962. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
^Foster, G. Carey; Tilden, W. A.; McLeod, Herbert; Mills, Edmund J.; Scott, A.; Foster, G. Carey (1905). "Alexander William Williamson". Journal of the Chemical Society. 87: 605–618. doi:10.1039/CT9058700565.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to Alexander William Williamson.
Williamson, Alexander William (1868). Chemistry for Students. Oxford: Clarendon Press. alexander williamson chemistry.
Williamson, Alexander William (1902). Papers on Etherification and on the Constitution of Salts. Edinburgh: The Alembic Club. p. 64. alexander williamson ether.
May 06, 2023
alexander, william, williamson, prof, frse, mria, 1824, 1904, english, chemist, best, known, today, williamson, ether, synthesis, born1, 1824, 1824, wandsworth, london, englanddied6, 1904, 1904, aged, hindhead, surrey, englandresting, placebrookwood, cemetery5. Prof Alexander William Williamson FRS FRSE PCS MRIA 1 May 1824 6 May 1904 1 was an English chemist He is best known today for the Williamson ether synthesis Alexander William WilliamsonAlexander William WilliamsonBorn1 May 1824 1824 05 Wandsworth London EnglandDied6 May 1904 1904 05 07 aged 80 Hindhead Surrey EnglandResting placeBrookwood Cemetery51 17 51 N 0 37 32 W 51 297390 N 0 625679 W 51 297390 0 625679 Coordinates 51 17 51 N 0 37 32 W 51 297390 N 0 625679 W 51 297390 0 625679NationalityBritishAlma materUniversity of GiessenKnown forSynthesis of ethersAwardsRoyal Medal 1862 Scientific careerDoctoral advisorLeopold Gmelin Justus von Liebig Contents 1 Life 2 Research on ethers 3 Williamson and the Chōshu Five 4 Honours and awards 5 References 6 External linksLife Edit Alexander William Williamson in his late years Williamson was born in 1824 in Wandsworth London the second of three children of Alexander Williamson originally from Elgin a clerk with the East India Company and his wife Antonia McAndrew daughter of a prominent London merchant Despite early physical infirmity the loss of sight in one eye and a largely useless left arm Williamson grew up in a caring and stimulating intellectual environment After an early childhood spent in Brighton and then schools in Kensington Williams enrolled at the University of Heidelberg in 1841 After working under Leopold Gmelin at Heidelberg he transferred to the University of Giessen to work with Justus von Liebig where he received his PhD in 1845 Williamson then spent three years in Paris studying higher mathematics under Auguste Comte 2 3 In 1849 with the support of Thomas Graham Williamson was appointed professor of analytical and practical chemistry at University College London From Graham s resignation in 1855 until Williamson s retirement in 1887 Williamson also held the chair of general theoretical chemistry 2 As a result of this increase in income 2 he was able to marry Emma Catherine Key the third daughter of Thomas Hewitt Key in 1855 1 They had two children Oliver Key d 1941 and Alice Maude 2 Alice Maud Williamson married the physicist Alfred Henry Fison 1857 1923 Williamson died on 6 May 1904 at High Pitfold Shottermill near Haslemere in Surrey England and was buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey 4 Research on ethers Edit Alexander Williamson Williamson is credited for his research on the formation of unsymmetrical ethers by the interaction of an alkoxide with a haloalkane known as the Williamson ether synthesis He regarded ethers and alcohols as substances analogous to and built up on the same type as water and he further introduced the water type as a widely applicable basis for the classification of chemical compounds The method of stating the rational constitution of bodies by comparison with water he believed capable of wide extension and that one type he thought would suffice for all inorganic compounds as well as for the best known organic ones the formula of water being taken in certain cases as doubled or tripled 5 6 7 So far back as 1850 he also suggested a view which in a modified form is of fundamental importance in the modern theory of ionic dissociation for in a paper on the theory of the formation of ether he urged that in an aggregate of molecules of any compound there is an exchange constantly going on between the elements which are contained in it for instance in hydrochloric acid each atom of hydrogen does not remain quietly in juxtaposition with the atom of chlorine with which it first united but changes places with other atoms of hydrogen A somewhat similar hypothesis was put forward by Rudolf Clausius about the same time 5 Williamson and the Chōshu Five EditMain article Chōshu Five In 1863 five students from the Chōshu clan were smuggled out of Japan At the time Japan was still a closed society the laws of the Tokugawa Shogunate making travel to another country a capital offence After an arduous journey reaching London the students were placed under the care of Professor Williamson He and his wife Catherine welcomed the group into their home taught them English introduced them to western society and arranged for them to study as non matriculated students at University College London Itō Shunsuke later Itō Hirobumi Endō Kinsuke and Nomura Yakichi later Inoue Masaru lived with the Williamsons at their Camden home while Inoue Monta later Inoue Kaoru and Yamao Yōzō lived adjacent to the university in Gower Street 8 The Chōshu Five as they later became known all served in the Japanese government and made significant scientific and social contributions to the modernisation of Japan Fourteen more international Japanese students from the Satsuma clan later worked with Williamson beginning in 1865 8 Honours and awards Edit Papers on etherification and on the constitution of salts 1949 Williamson s grave in Brookwood CemeteryFor his work on etherification Williamson received a Royal medal from the Royal Society in 1862 of which he became a fellow in 1855 and which he served as foreign secretary from 1873 to 1889 He was twice president of the London Chemical Society from 1863 to 1865 and from 1869 to 1871 5 9 References Edit a b WILLIAMSON Alexander William Who s who biographies 1901 1901 p 1197 a b c d Williamson Papers University College London Special Collections Foster G Carey 1911 Gedachtnisfeier Alexander William Williamson Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft 44 3 2253 2269 doi 10 1002 cber 19110440339 Harris J Brock W H 1978 From Giessen to Gower Street Towards a Biography of Alexander William Williamson 1824 1904 Annals of Science Taylor amp Francis 31 2 95 130 doi 10 1080 00033797400200171 a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Williamson Alexander William Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 28 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 684 Paul E Robert 1978 Alexander W Williamson on the atomic theory A study of nineteenth century British atomism Annals of Science 35 1 17 31 doi 10 1080 00033797800200111 Williamson Alexander 1850 Theory of Aetherification Philosophical Magazine Vol 37 no 251 pp 350 356 doi 10 1080 14786445008646627 a b Davies Alwyn 2014 Alexander Williamson and the Modernisation of Japan PDF Royal Society of Chemistry Historical Group Newsletter and Summary of Papers 65 Winter 276 90 doi 10 3184 003685015X14388848108342 PMID 26601342 S2CID 13604962 Retrieved 17 November 2015 Foster G Carey Tilden W A McLeod Herbert Mills Edmund J Scott A Foster G Carey 1905 Alexander William Williamson Journal of the Chemical Society 87 605 618 doi 10 1039 CT9058700565 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Alexander William Williamson Williamson Alexander William 1868 Chemistry for Students Oxford Clarendon Press alexander williamson chemistry Williamson Alexander William 1902 Papers on Etherification and on the Constitution of Salts Edinburgh The Alembic Club p 64 alexander williamson ether Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander William Williamson amp oldid 1135690814, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
