Frank C. Whitmore papers

Frank C. Whitmore (1887-1947) was an international authority on the phases of organic chemistry, especially aliphatic and hydrocarbon chemistry and molecular rearrangements. Whitmore completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees studies while at Harvard University, and received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1914. Four universities awarded him honorary Doctor of Science degrees: Franklin and Marshall (1947); the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (1943); Allegheny (1938); University of Delaware (1937). He taught at Williams College (1916-1917), the Rice Institute (1917-1918), the University of Minnesota (1918-1920), and Northwestern University (1920-1929). In 1929 he was appointed Dean of the School of Chemistry and Physics at Penn State University, where Whitmore remained a member of the faculty until 1947. In 1932 Whitmore developed the concept of carbocation, with his later research providing the first explanation of carbocation rearrangements. During World War I he worked at the Rice Institute researching poisonous gases and mercury compounds. In 1938, he was awarded the William H. Nichols Medal for outstanding chemical work. The American Chemical Society elected him president in 1938. The highest chemical honor in the nation, the Willard Gibbs Medal, was awarded him in 1945. During World War II he worked on super-explosives, the synthesis of anti-malarials, and the production of penicillin; he also organized and supervised a group of 35 instructors for the Army Specialized Training and Navy V-12 programs at Penn State. He died on June 24, 1947 at the age of 59. Funeral services were held at Schwab Auditorium with more than 500 students, faculty members and other professional associates attending. In addition to publishing more than 200 scientific and technical papers, he was the author of two books, Organic Compounds of Mercury (1921) and Organic Chemistry (1937). In 1953, Penn State's Whitmore Laboratory was named after Whitmore.