Award Citations by President Noyes

Hoylartde Young, Pure Oil Co. , pre­sents medal to Mary Lura Sherrili

Worneref's Award in Chemistry

To M A R Y LURA S11ER R I L L

The chemist whom we now honor is not only a stimulating teacher but also a successful and untiring investigator. Her contributions to chemistry have been varied and have demonstrated her versatility. She has engaged in impor­tant research in both organic and physical chemistry. The medalist has extended our knowledge of the relation between physical properties and molecular struc­ture and has applied physical methods to the study of organic compounds. She was an active member of the group that carried out a program of research on measurement of the ultraviolet absorp­tion spectra of hydrocarbons. More recently she directed one of the parts of the OSRD antimalarial program.

Our medalist has been active in the work of her professional society. Not only have various presidents called upon her for service on committees but the section to which she belongs has utilized her out­standing abilities as secretary, chairman, and councilor.

However, in spite of the number of fields to which she has contributed sig­nificantly, probably our medalist regards her work as a teacher as her greatest

Sidney P. Colowick receives his award from II. W. Rhodehamel, Eli Lilly & Co.

accomplishment. She has been able to fire with some of her own enthusiasm students under her influence.

I consider ii an honor to present for the Women's Award in Chemistry, Dr . Mary Lura Sherrili, of Mt. Holyoke College.

Eli Lilly and Company Award To S I D N E Y P . COLOWICK

The Eli Lilly and Company Award in Biological Chemistry is to be given to a young man whose research has been chiefly in the enzymatic phosphorylation of glycogen and of gluco.ee in animal tis-

Van R, Potter is congratulated by Paul Halmbacher, Paul-Lewis Laboratories, Inc.

sues. He has converted glucose to gly­cogen in vitro by means of purified en­zymes and has elucidated each of the enzymatic steps involved in this trans­formation.

In an extension of this work, the med­alist has made a detailed study of the hexokinase reaction, the first step in the transformation of glucose to glycogen and has found that dihydrocozymase and guanine are necessary components of the hexokinase system. He has shown that guanine is formed by a separate enzyme which acts on ribonucleic acid in the presence of inorganic phosphate and con­verts it to nucleic acid ribose-J-phosphate. This reversible reaction opens the way for a study of the mechanism of enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acids.

In the work on hexokinase i t was dem­onstrated that the reaction could be in­hibited by anterior pituitary extract, that the inhibition can be released by insulin.

The medalist obtained his entire aca­demic training at Washington University and remained as instructor and assistant professor for four years after being awarded the Ph .D. degree. He is one of that rapidly growing group of brilliant young investigators who have worked with and been inspired by the Coris.

I present to you, as the 1947 recipient of the Eli Lilly and Company Award in Biological Chemistry, Dr. Sidney P. Colo­wick of the Public Health Research In­stitute of the City of New York.

Paul'Lewis Laboratories Award To VAN R . P O T T E R

The appraisal of fundamental physio­logical phenomena in terms of the modern

concepts of biological energy transfor­mation is limited chiefly by the avail­ability of methods for the measurement of the enzymatic components of the en­ergy-transforming mechanisms. The re­cipient of the next award has played a leading role in devising the practical analytical techniques that are so vital for such studies. In 1936 he designed a rapid and effective method for the prepa­ration of homogenized tissue suspen­sions and since that time has pioneered its use for the study of biological oxi­dations.

The medalist's major contributions have been in the field of respiratory enzymes. In particular, he has shown in a series of clear-cut studies, the interrelationships of certain of the vitamins and enzymes.

His most recent work has dealt with the analysis of enzymes in cancer and he has proposed a vary stimulating and thought-provofciug enzyme-virus theory of car­cinogenesis»

In all his work, reported in more than 50 scientific papers, the medalist has demonstrate»! insight in proposing reason­able mechanisms and theories to explain experimental data.

I am honored t o present for the second Paul-Lewis Laboratories Award in En­zyme Chemistry, Dr . Van R. Potter, associate professor o f oncology in the University of Wisconsin Medical School.

Borden Award To G. C. STJPPLEE

The chemist who receives this Borden Award published his first scientific paper on milk in 1915. Through the succeeding years he has been faithful to that first love. I have seen a list of his publications and the word "milk" occurs in the titles of 56 ; most of the other 2 0 are concerned with various scientific aspects of the same product.

W. A· Wentworth, secretary of Borden Foundation, makes presentation to G. C. Supplée

The rules for this award specify that the recipient must "have accomplished outstanding research in the chemistry of milk and dairy products or in funda­mental research, that contributes directly and materially to the knowledge of milk and dairy products." This is an accurate

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or lesser extent. If a polyatomic molecule has any vibrational energy, all of the atoms will be in motion, and the over-all motions may be exceedingly complex.

We may simplify the problem somewhat as follows. Let us assume that the energy of vibration resident in some particular bond must be ED to cause rupture, and let us consider the difference between the energy Ε resident in this bond and ED. If the molecule as a whole (after absorption of light) possesses a total energy less than ED, obviously no internal rearrangement can cause this bond t o be ruptured. At time 0, the value of ED — Ε may be E\. If the molecule must possess an energy E\ in order to fluoresce, the interval between ab­sorption and fluorescence may be very long, particularly if the molecule possesses many atoms. During this interval the molecule may undergo collisions and lose energy. In that event, the energy in the bond may never again be so high as Ε, and fluorescence, if it occurs, will be of longer wave length than the absorbed light.

For the molecule t o dissociate the bond must possess the energy ED. If the total energy in the molecule is greater than ED, the chance of dissociation prior to colli­sion will be determined by the rate at which energy flows around within the mole­cule. The chance will depend on the com­plexity of the molecule and the probability that the proper bond will acquire energy.

It must be emphasized that if total en­ergy exceeds ED, dissociation will even­tually occur if the molecule is isolated un­less it fluoresces. T h u s we sec why the primary dissociation may not always oc­cur 100% of the t ime with polyatomic molecules. If the pressure is very low, the yield should be high unless fluorescence is probable. But fluorescence can only occur from certain configurations and therefore will rarely be 100% probable even for isolated molecules. Many ex­amples could be cited in which primary dissociations seem t o depend on pressure as well as on wavelength.

An isolated molecule in the absence of collision will always repeat every configu­ration it can assume periodically unless it fluoresces. However, if the electronic en­ergy is transformed into vibrational en­ergy, fluorescence wi l l be improbable and collisional deactivation more probable.

Tonight I wish to discuss only one ap­plication because of lack of time. This il­lustrates still another process—namely, dis­sociation accompanying fluorescence. The experimental evidence about to be cited is not foolproof but is rather suggestive.

Acetone is known to decompose photo-chemically into ethane, carbon monoxide, and biacetyl, the relative yields being de­pendent on conditions. Pure acetone and acetone with oxygen present show a weak blue fluorescence. T h i s is accompanied by a green fluorescence at room temperature but not at high temperatures and not in the presence of oxygen. The green seems to be emitted only if biacetyl is present.

The blue fluorescence has been carefully studied. Collisions have a marked effect on it. To explain this behavior, one has to assume» two different states, one very sensitive to collision and one much less so. Presumably the second is formed from the first by collisions.

Acetone shows some bands in its absorp­tion spectrum. If the molecule fluoresces, the fluorescence should have bands. N o such bands have been observed. If these observations are correct, acetone must dis­sociate when it fluoresces. Energy consid­erations show that the dissociation must lead to CO -j- C2H6. Any other mode of dissociation requires too much energy to leave enough over for fluorescence.

The biacetyl or green fluorescence be­haves in the opposite way to the blue as a function of collisions. The molecule be­haves as though it would dissociate unless robbed of energy by collisions.

The manner of transfer of energy from excited acetone to biacetyl is uncertain, but it appears as though we were dealing with direct transfer of electronic energy just as we were with the monatomic gases.

The effects of temperature on these fluorescences can best be explained if these excited acetone and biacetyl molecules be­come more unstable if they retain a lot of vibration. The higher the temperature the less the fluorescence and the more the decomposition.

The phenomena we have been describ­ing are complex, and data of adequate ac­curacy are difficult to obtain. The ideas we have presented are not very new. We emphasize them because we believe the field is interesting enough to warrant fur-• tv - . tudy. Data of the right type are t.K. meager to prove or disprove the ap­plication of these ideas to most molecules.

A w a r d C i t a l i o n s

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characterization of the extensive research which the medalist has conducted.

l i e is credited with developing the practical methods for commercial ir­radiation of milk to increase its vitamin D " content. His research has included investigations on the keeping quality of milk powder, the development of methods for packing milk powder in inert gas, the value of casein and milk protein in control of peptic ulcere, and the iso­lation of pure natural riboflavin from whey and wastes resulting from milk sugar manufacture.

I present for the Borden Award in the Chemistry of Milk, Dr . George C. Sup­plée, president of the G. C. Supplée Research Corporation.

Ipatieff Prise

To LOUIS S C I I M E R L 1 N G

The donor of the Ipatieff Prize can be characterized by the same terms that hâve been set down in the rules for this award as the qualifications of a nominee, i.e., that he Louis has conducted "outstand- from ing experimental work in the field of catalysis." However, he has catalyzed more than chemical re­actions; he has catalyzed men and research. I t is significant that the first recipient of the Ipatieff Prize is an example of this. Although the award is being made for independ­ent accomplishments, the medalist was associated· with Dr. Ipatieff in his earlier work.

The medalist's postu­

lation and experimental proof of the mech­anism of the catalytic alkylraion of paraf-finic hydrocarbons and his discovery and investigation of the condensation of satu­rated monohalides with olefins and halo-oiefins in the presence of metal halide catalyst are the specific achievements on which this recognition is based.

Although the catal·* tic alkylation of paraflinic hydrocarbons has been known since 1932, the medalist in 1944 published the first satisfactory explanation of the reaction. The condensation of monohalo-alkanes with olefins, cyclo-olefins and halo-olefins in the presence of metal halide catalysts not only permitted the synthesis of many new compounds, but serves as a basis for a clearer understanding of and a deeper insight into relationships between catalytic polymerization of olefins, alkyla­tion of paraffins, and isomerization.

N o t only has the recipient of this prize contributed to chemical theory and recorded the results in 25 scientific articles, he has also converted his theory to prac­tice through 42 patents.

I t is with great pleasure that I present for the first Ipatieff Prize, Dr . Louis Schmerling of Universal Oil Products Co.

Schtnerling receives citation V. iV. Ipatieff, donor of prise

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