Container Molecules and Their Guests

Donald J. Cram, 1919 - 2001 Donald J. Cram was born in 1919 and began studying the sciences in college. Ironically, he had a teacher that told him he did not have the mind for academic research, which spurred Cram on to excel in it. He received his Bachelor's of Science in Chemistry from Rollins College in 1941 and his Master's in Chemistry from the University of Nebraska. Cram then served a tour in World War II as a research chemist for Merk & Company working with penicillin and finally received his Doctorate from Harvard in 1947.

After college, Cram accepted a position as an instructor at the University of California at Los angeles. He remained there for 50 years, performing research and publishing more than 400 research papers and 7 books on organic chemistry. For this work, Cram received various honors, including the Roger Adams Award in Organic Chemistry and the National Academy of Sciences Award in the Chemical Sciences. In 1965, Cram was awarded the American Chemical Society Award for creative work in synthetic organic chemistry and two years later received the society's Cope Award for distinguished achievement in organic chemistry. He was named the California Scientist of the Year in 1965 as well. In 1987, Cram shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating molecules with hollow regions where specific molecules could attach. He later created "prison molecules" which could one day treat cancer by isolating the poisonous ones and attacking them with radioactive substances without harming the good tissue.

Donald J. Cram died on June 17, 2001 in Palm Desert, California from cancer. He was 82.

030