Owen Webster
Encyclopedia
Owen W. Webster is a distinguished member of the organic and polymer chemistry
communities. His polymerization technique for making block copolymer dispersing agents is used by DuPont
to make ink-jet printer inks.
Born in Devils Lake, North Dakota
, Webster received a Bachelor of Science
degree from the University of North Dakota
in 1951. He received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Pennsylvania State University
in 1955 under the direction of L. H. Sommer, known for his silicon mechanistic work. After graduation, Webster joined the Central Research Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company at the Experimental Station
, where he spent his entire industrial career. He is presently Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at both the University of Alabama
and the University of Pennsylvania
.
Webster’s early research activities at du Pont involved synthesis of cyanocarbons. His seminal discoveries in this area ranged from tetracyanoethylene oxide, which adds to olefins through its carbon-carbon bond; hexacyanobutadiene, with an oxidation potential near that of bromine
; pentacyanocyclopentadiene, an acid as strong as perchloric acid
; diiminosuccinonitrile, a remarkable adduct of cyanogen
and hydrogen cyanide; and diazodicyanoimidazole, which cleaves to a carbene
that forms a bromo ylide
with bromobenzene. In other organic research he showed that diazonium compounds undergo 2+4 cycloaddition to dienes.
In the latter half of his stay at DuPont he switched to polymer science where he invented Group Transfer Polymerization (GTP), a new way to control chain architecture of acrylic polymers. DuPont uses this technology to make ink for ink-jet printers, a multi-million-dollar business. In addition to GTP he developed a living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. These two discoveries sparked a burst in university activity on controlled polymerization still going on today. He reintroduced the concept of condensation polymerization of A2B type monomers and named them hyperbranched polymers. These systems augment the now popular dendritic polymers. Shortly before retirement he capped his efforts in the materials science area with the synthesis of high surface-area hypercrosslinked polymers by coupling rigid-rod A2 monomers with B3 crosslinkers.
His polymer work led the prestigious American Chemical Society
award for Applied Polymer Science in 1993. After a brief period as research supervisor in the 80's he accepted a position as duPont Fellow. Shortly before retirement duPont honored him with its highest technical award, the Lavoisier Medal
Polymer chemistry
Polymer chemistry or macromolecular chemistry is a multidisciplinary science that deals with the chemical synthesis and chemical properties of polymers or macromolecules. According to IUPAC recommendations, macromolecules refer to the individual molecular chains and are the domain of chemistry...
communities. His polymerization technique for making block copolymer dispersing agents is used by DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
to make ink-jet printer inks.
Born in Devils Lake, North Dakota
Devils Lake, North Dakota
As of the 2000 Census, there were 7,222 people, 3,127 households, and 1,773 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,508 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.23% White, 0.22% African American, 7.84% Native American, 0.28%...
, Webster received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in 1951. He received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1955 under the direction of L. H. Sommer, known for his silicon mechanistic work. After graduation, Webster joined the Central Research Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company at the Experimental Station
DuPont Experimental Station
The DuPont Experimental Station is the largest research and development facility of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Located on the banks of the Brandywine Creek in Wilmington, Delaware, it is home to some of the most important discoveries of the modern chemical industry...
, where he spent his entire industrial career. He is presently Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at both the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Webster’s early research activities at du Pont involved synthesis of cyanocarbons. His seminal discoveries in this area ranged from tetracyanoethylene oxide, which adds to olefins through its carbon-carbon bond; hexacyanobutadiene, with an oxidation potential near that of bromine
Bromine
Bromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
; pentacyanocyclopentadiene, an acid as strong as perchloric acid
Perchloric acid
Perchloric acid is the inorganic compound with the formula HClO4. Usually encountered as an aqueous solution, this colourless compound is a strong acid comparable in strength to sulfuric and nitric acids. It is a powerful oxidizer, but its aqueous solutions up to appr. 70% are remarkably inert,...
; diiminosuccinonitrile, a remarkable adduct of cyanogen
Cyanogen
Cyanogen is the chemical compound with the formula 2. It is a colorless, toxic gas with a pungent odor.The molecule is a pseudohalogen. Cyanogen molecules consist of two CN groups — analogous to diatomic halogen molecules, such as Cl2, but far less oxidizing...
and hydrogen cyanide; and diazodicyanoimidazole, which cleaves to a carbene
Carbene
In chemistry, a carbene is a molecule containing a neutral carbon atom with a valence of two and two unshared valence electrons. The general formula is RR'C:, but the carbon can instead be double-bonded to one group. The term "carbene" may also merely refer to the compound H2C:, also called...
that forms a bromo ylide
Ylide
An ylide or ylid is a neutral dipolar molecule containing a formally negatively charged atom directly attached to a hetero atom with a formal positive charge , and in which both atoms have full octets of electrons. Ylides are thus 1,2-dipolar compounds...
with bromobenzene. In other organic research he showed that diazonium compounds undergo 2+4 cycloaddition to dienes.
In the latter half of his stay at DuPont he switched to polymer science where he invented Group Transfer Polymerization (GTP), a new way to control chain architecture of acrylic polymers. DuPont uses this technology to make ink for ink-jet printers, a multi-million-dollar business. In addition to GTP he developed a living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. These two discoveries sparked a burst in university activity on controlled polymerization still going on today. He reintroduced the concept of condensation polymerization of A2B type monomers and named them hyperbranched polymers. These systems augment the now popular dendritic polymers. Shortly before retirement he capped his efforts in the materials science area with the synthesis of high surface-area hypercrosslinked polymers by coupling rigid-rod A2 monomers with B3 crosslinkers.
His polymer work led the prestigious American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
award for Applied Polymer Science in 1993. After a brief period as research supervisor in the 80's he accepted a position as duPont Fellow. Shortly before retirement duPont honored him with its highest technical award, the Lavoisier Medal