Organic Reactions Catalysis Society

Who is Organic Reactions Catalysis Society

The primary emphasis of these conferences was on the basic principles, theories and the engineering aspects of catalysis. These topics were of interest to physical, colloid and surface chemists and petroleum and chemical engineers. This is not to say that synthetic applications of catalysis were not recognized but the use of such reactions, primarily hydrogenations, as synthetic tools was practiced mainly by pharmaceutical companies with some interest also found in the fine chemical and flavor and fragrance industries. All of the major pharmaceutical firms had a hydrogenation section dedicated to the development of selective catalytic hydrogenation procedures for the synthesis of complex organic compounds. The men who were the heads of these hydrogenation laboratories are a virtual "Who's Who" in the area of selective hydrogenations. However, about the only venue they had for the publication or discussion of any of their non-proprietary results was in standard Organic Chemistry meetings and journals. In the early 1960's two of these men, Morris Friefelder of Abbot and Bill Pearlman of Parke-Davis brought together a group of these hydrogenation "experts" who felt that some forum should be developed for the presentation and discussion of the more practical aspects of the use of catalysis in the synthesis of organic compounds. Those involved in this discussion were, in retrospect, the founding fathers of ORCS: Dale Blackburn of Smith Kline & French, Jack Campbell of Lilly, Bill Jones of Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Mel Rebenstorf of Upjohn, Bill Selby of G.D. Searle, Dave Wagner of Hoffman LaRoche and Joe O'Conner of CIBA as well as one of the prime movers in this area, Paul Rylander of Engelhard. These discussions led to the conclusion that a conference was needed to facilitate the exchange of information in this area, a conference in which papers on the practical use of catalysis in organic synthesis could be presented and discussed. The result was the conference on "Catalytic Hydrogenation and Related Pressure ...Read more

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