Rowland Pettit Explained

Rowland Pettit (February 6, 1927  - December 10, 1981) was an Australian-born American chemist.^[1] He was awarded an overseas scholarship from the Royal Commission 1851 from 1952 - 1954. He came to London to Queen Mary College to conduct research into "the molecular orbital theory of organic chemistry and its application". ^{[2] [3]} Pettit was noted for preparation of Cyclobutadieneiron tricarbonyl and the related trimethylenemethane complex.^{[1] [3] [2]} Pettit was head of the Department of Chemistry^{[1] [2]} and W. T. Doherty Professor in Chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin,^{[1] [2]} a member of the National Academy of Sciences,^{[1] [2] [3]} a member of the American Chemical Society,^[3] a member of the Chemical Society of London,^[3] a recipient of the American Chemical Society's the Southwest Regional Award,^{[3] [2] [1]} a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.^{[2] [3]}

The University of Texas said that Pettit was an "internationally recognized organic chemist".^[3]

Chronology

• 1927 born in Port Lincoln, Australia^[3]
• 1949 B.Sc, University of Adelaide^[3]
• 1950 M.Sc, University of Adelaide^[3]
• 1953 PhD in chemistry, University of Adelaide^[3]
• 1954 2nd PhD, Queen Mary College in London ^[3]
• 1957 assistant professor, the University of Texas, Austin^[3]
• 1960 associate professor, the University of Texas, Austin^[3]
• 1963 professor of chemistry, the University of Texas, Austin^[3]
• 1968 Southwest Regional Award, the American Chemical Society^[3]
• 1970-1974 Chairman of Department of Chemistry, the University of Texas, Austin^[3]
• 1973 elected to the National Academy of Sciences^[3]
• 1980 advanced to W. T. Doherty Professor in Chemistry, the University of Texas, Austin^[3]
• 1981 dies in Austin, Texas

Scholarship

Some of his work has been summarized with a focus on his synthesis of Cyclobutadieneiron tricarbonyl.^[4]

External links

• John C. Gilbert, "Rowland Pettit", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences (1995)

Notes and References

1. http://www.eoas.info/biogs/P004754b.htm Encyclopedia of Australian Science:Pettit, Rowland
2. http://www.nap.edu/html/biomems/rpettit.html National Academies Press:Biographical Memoirs:Rowland Pettit; By John C. Gilbert
3. http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/2000-2001/memorials/SCANNED/pettit.pdf University of Texas:In Memoriam:Rowland Petti
4. 10.1021/om020946c . (Cyclobutadiene)iron TricarbonylA Case of Theory before Experiment . 2003 . Seyferth . Dietmar . Organometallics . 22 . 2–20 .