1. 11:19 4th Jan 2012

    Notes: 2

    Tags: Anecdotal Chemistryylnt3RotL

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    * DISCOVERY OF D-GLUCOSAMINE In 1876 Georgg Ledderhose was a premedical student working in the laboratory of his uncle, Friedrich Wöhler (the same chemist who first synthesized urea).  One day, Wöhler had lobster for lunch, and returned to the laboratory carrying the lobster shell.  “Find out what this is,” he told his nephew.  History does not record Ledderhose’s thoughts on receiving the refuse from his uncle’s lunch, but he proceeded to do what all chemists did with unknown material.—he boiled it in concentrated HCl.  After hydrolysis of the shell, crystals of the previously unknown D-glucosamine hydrochloride precipitated from the cooled solution. (1367-Louden’s Organic Chemistry.) Though I am not the kind of chemist who does a lot of boiling in hydrochloric acid, roughly 50% of my graduate projects kind of started with leftovers.  *That’s a meal that begins with an apology.

    * DISCOVERY OF D-GLUCOSAMINE

    In 1876 Georgg Ledderhose was a premedical student working in the laboratory of his uncle, Friedrich Wöhler (the same chemist who first synthesized urea).  One day, Wöhler had lobster for lunch, and returned to the laboratory carrying the lobster shell.  “Find out what this is,” he told his nephew.  History does not record Ledderhose’s thoughts on receiving the refuse from his uncle’s lunch, but he proceeded to do what all chemists did with unknown material.—he boiled it in concentrated HCl.  After hydrolysis of the shell, crystals of the previously unknown D-glucosamine hydrochloride precipitated from the cooled solution.

    (1367-Louden’s Organic Chemistry.)

    Though I am not the kind of chemist who does a lot of boiling in hydrochloric acid, roughly 50% of my graduate projects kind of started with leftovers. 

    *That’s a meal that begins with an apology.

     
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