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Yves Chauvin, Chemist Sharing Nobel Prize, Dies at 84 Yves Chauvin, ‘Green’ Chemist and Nobel Laureate, Dies at 84
(about 17 hours later)
Yves Chauvin, who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for deciphering a “green chemistry” reaction now used to make pharmaceuticals and plastics more efficiently while generating less hazardous waste, died on Tuesday in Tours, France. He was 84.Yves Chauvin, who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for deciphering a “green chemistry” reaction now used to make pharmaceuticals and plastics more efficiently while generating less hazardous waste, died on Tuesday in Tours, France. He was 84.
“France loses a great chemist and a model for many researchers,” the website of the French presidency announced.“France loses a great chemist and a model for many researchers,” the website of the French presidency announced.
Mr. Chauvin was the first to explain chemical reactions involving petroleum compounds in which two molecules swap groups of atoms. The reactions, called metathesis (pronounced meh-TATH-eh-sis), which means “changing places,” break and then re-form strong “double bonds” between carbon atoms.Mr. Chauvin was the first to explain chemical reactions involving petroleum compounds in which two molecules swap groups of atoms. The reactions, called metathesis (pronounced meh-TATH-eh-sis), which means “changing places,” break and then re-form strong “double bonds” between carbon atoms.
That process generally requires high temperatures and immense pressures; metathesis, however, takes place under relatively mild conditions, is often quicker than conventional processes, consumes less energy and produces less waste — advantages for chemical companies and for the environment.That process generally requires high temperatures and immense pressures; metathesis, however, takes place under relatively mild conditions, is often quicker than conventional processes, consumes less energy and produces less waste — advantages for chemical companies and for the environment.
For years, chemists were unable to explain how the bonds were being rearranged.For years, chemists were unable to explain how the bonds were being rearranged.
The key, Mr. Chauvin figured out in 1971, is a metal-carbon catalyst. The catalyst pairs with a molecular fragment, like two dancers with all four hands clasped together. Letting go of one pair of hands, they reach for a second pair of molecular pieces to form a ring of four. The ring then breaks apart, with the catalyst carrying away a new molecular piece and leaving its original partner behind. That rearranges the carbon bonds.The key, Mr. Chauvin figured out in 1971, is a metal-carbon catalyst. The catalyst pairs with a molecular fragment, like two dancers with all four hands clasped together. Letting go of one pair of hands, they reach for a second pair of molecular pieces to form a ring of four. The ring then breaks apart, with the catalyst carrying away a new molecular piece and leaving its original partner behind. That rearranges the carbon bonds.
The others who shared the Nobel — Robert H. Grubbs of the California Institute of Technology and Richard R. Schrock of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — took Mr. Chauvin’s findings, developed new catalysts and showed how the paradigm could be applied to a wide range of organic compounds.The others who shared the Nobel — Robert H. Grubbs of the California Institute of Technology and Richard R. Schrock of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — took Mr. Chauvin’s findings, developed new catalysts and showed how the paradigm could be applied to a wide range of organic compounds.
The phone call from Stockholm in October 2005 took Mr. Chauvin by surprise.The phone call from Stockholm in October 2005 took Mr. Chauvin by surprise.
“For me, it was unexpected, because my contribution is not very important in my opinion,” he said that day. “My research opened the way, but the main part of the research has been made by Schrock and Grubbs.”“For me, it was unexpected, because my contribution is not very important in my opinion,” he said that day. “My research opened the way, but the main part of the research has been made by Schrock and Grubbs.”
He was born to French parents — his father was an electrical engineer — on Oct. 10, 1930, in Menin, Belgium, near the border with France, and grew up with four brothers and sisters amid the upheaval of World War II. “The war taught me to eat what there was,” Mr. Chauvin wrote in his Nobel Prize biography. “I am still not a fussy eater, although I do enjoy good food.” He confessed that he was not a brilliant student, even in chemistry. “I chose chemistry rather by chance,” he wrote, “because I firmly believed (and still do) that you can become passionately involved in your work, whatever it is.” He was born to French parents — his father was an electrical engineer — on Oct. 10, 1930, in Menin, Belgium, near the border with France, and grew up with four brothers and sisters amid the upheaval of World War II. “The war taught me to eat what there was,” Mr. Chauvin wrote in his Nobel Prize biography. “I am still not a fussy eater, although I do enjoy good food.”
He confessed that he was not a brilliant student, even in chemistry. “I chose chemistry rather by chance,” he wrote, “because I firmly believed (and still do) that you can become passionately involved in your work, whatever it is.”
Mr. Chauvin graduated from the Lyon School of Industrial Chemistry in 1954. Military service and other circumstances prevented him from pursuing a doctoral degree, which he said he regretted. “I had no training in research as such and as a consequence I am in a sense self-taught,” he wrote in his Nobel Prize lecture.Mr. Chauvin graduated from the Lyon School of Industrial Chemistry in 1954. Military service and other circumstances prevented him from pursuing a doctoral degree, which he said he regretted. “I had no training in research as such and as a consequence I am in a sense self-taught,” he wrote in his Nobel Prize lecture.
He worked in industry for a few years before quitting, frustrated by an inability to pursue new ideas. “My motto is more, ‘If you want to find something new, look for something new!’ ” Mr. Chauvin wrote. “There is a certain amount of risk in this attitude, as even the slightest failure tends to be resounding, but you are so happy when you succeed that it is worth taking the risk.”He worked in industry for a few years before quitting, frustrated by an inability to pursue new ideas. “My motto is more, ‘If you want to find something new, look for something new!’ ” Mr. Chauvin wrote. “There is a certain amount of risk in this attitude, as even the slightest failure tends to be resounding, but you are so happy when you succeed that it is worth taking the risk.”
He found the freedom to choose his research when he joined the French Petroleum Institute in 1960, and it led to his breakthrough on metathesis.He found the freedom to choose his research when he joined the French Petroleum Institute in 1960, and it led to his breakthrough on metathesis.
“Like all sciences, chemistry is marked by magic moments,” Mr. Chauvin wrote. “For someone fortunate enough to live such a moment, it is an instant of intense emotion: an immense field of investigation suddenly opens up before you.”“Like all sciences, chemistry is marked by magic moments,” Mr. Chauvin wrote. “For someone fortunate enough to live such a moment, it is an instant of intense emotion: an immense field of investigation suddenly opens up before you.”
He became the institute’s research director in 1991 and retired in 1995. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 2005.He became the institute’s research director in 1991 and retired in 1995. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 2005.
His survivors include two sons, Frederic and Remi, a chemist; and grandchildren. In his biographical essay, Mr. Chauvin recounted fond memories of looking out of his bedroom window, over the family’s large garden, and watching barges ply the Lys River, where it separates France from Belgium, towed by horses or men. His survivors include two sons, Frederic and Remi, a chemist; and grandchildren.
In his biographical essay, Mr. Chauvin recounted fond memories of looking out of his bedroom window, over the family’s large garden, and watching barges ply the Lys River, where it separates France from Belgium, towed by horses or men.
His parents were from the Tours region, he said, descending “from long-established families in the little village of Beaumont-la-Ronce.”His parents were from the Tours region, he said, descending “from long-established families in the little village of Beaumont-la-Ronce.”
“I used to spend my holidays there in my grandparents’ large family house, with my numerous cousins,” he wrote. “When I die, I am going to be buried in the village cemetery.”“I used to spend my holidays there in my grandparents’ large family house, with my numerous cousins,” he wrote. “When I die, I am going to be buried in the village cemetery.”