William Lipscomb

William Nunn Lipscomb ( born December 9, 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio, † April 14, 2011 in Cambridge, Massachusetts ) was an American chemist.

Lipscomb studied chemistry and at times physics at the University of Kentucky and the California Institute of Technology. During his studies he was involved in research and development work in the military field.

After graduation he taught from 1946 to 1959 at the University of Minnesota. He was since 1959 a professor at Harvard University and worked among others in the field of X-ray crystallography and crystal growth. For the study of the stereochemical structure and the theoretical explanation of the boranes, he received the 1976 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He transferred his results to related groups of substances such as carboranes.

Later he worked on the geological structure and function of proteins, with the help of protein.

Among other honors, Lipscomb was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Munich.

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