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{{Short description|British chemist and academic (1923–2003)}}
⚫
Professor '''Basil Charles Leicester Weedon''' [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]], [[Royal Society|FRS]] (18 July 1923 - 10 October 2003) was an [[organic chemistry|organic chemist]] and [[university]] administrator. Using [[NMR spectroscopy|magnetic resonance spectroscopy]], he was the first to map the structures of [[carotenoid]] pigments, including [[astaxanthin]], [[rubixanthin]] and [[canthaxanthin]].<ref name="rsbio">{{cite doi|10.1098/rsbm.2005.0029}}</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Basil Weedon
| image = Stubley, oil on canvas. Weedon.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Oil on canvas painting
| honorific-suffix =
| office = Vice-Chancellor of the [[University of Nottingham]]
| term_start = 1976
| term_end = 1988
| predecessor = [[John Butterfield, Baron Butterfield|John Butterfield]]
| successor = [[Colin Campbell (lawyer)|Colin Campbell]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|07|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Wimbledon, London]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2003|10|10|1923|07|18|df=y}}
| death_place =
| residence =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| alma_mater = [[Imperial College, London]]
⚫
}}Professor '''Basil Charles Leicester Weedon''' [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]], [[Royal Society|FRS]] (18 July 1923 &ndash; 10 October 2003) was an [[organic chemistry|organic chemist]] and [[university]] administrator. Using [[nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy]], he was the first to map the structures of [[carotenoid]] pigments, including [[astaxanthin]], [[rubixanthin]] and [[canthaxanthin]].<ref name="rsbio">{{Cite journal | last1 = Pattenden | first1 = G. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2005.0029 | title = Basil Charles Leicester Weedon. 18 July 1923 -- 10 October 2003: Elected FRS 1971 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 51 | pages = 425 | year = 2005 | doi-access = free }}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Weedon was born in [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], his father was a [[dentist]] and his mother came from a family of prosperous [[jeweller]]s. His parents separated when he was nine years old and he remained living with his father, within a few years he had lost all contact with his mother and his younger sister. During [[World War II]], he was evacuated to a farm near [[Guildford]]. His wife, Barbara Dawe, served in the [[Women's Royal Navy Service]] during World War 2, whilst working there she met Basil's cousin and later Basil. They married in 1959 and had two children, Sarah and Matthew. Weedon was known as 'Jimmy' by his friends. In his later years he suffered from [[Parkinson's disease]].<ref name="rsbio"/>
Weedon was born in [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]], his father was a [[dentist]] and his mother came from a family of prosperous [[jeweller]]s. His parents separated when he was nine years old and he remained living with his father, within a few years he had lost all contact with his mother and his younger sister.


During [[World War II]], he was evacuated to a farm near [[Guildford]]. His wife, Barbara Dawe, served in the [[Women's Royal Navy Service]] during World War II, whilst working there she met Basil's cousin and later Basil. They married in 1959 and had two children, Sarah and Matthew. Weedon suffered from [[Parkinson's disease]] in his later years.<ref name="rsbio"/>
===Hobbies===
Weedon enjoyed listening to [[classical music]], [[crossword]] puzzles, studying antique [[clock]]s and reading classic novels, particularly those by [[Charles Dickens]] and [[Anthony Trollope]]. When he was younger he was a keen [[Latin American]] dancer.


==Academic life==
==Academic life==
He studied at a school in Guildford prior to studying chemistry at [[Imperial College, London]] in 1940, he was awarded his degree just two years later, aged 19. He remained at Imperial College, studying for a PhD before taking a job with [[Imperial Chemical Industries|ICI]] working on [[dye]]s in [[Blackley]], [[Manchester]]. He returned to Imperial College in 1947 as a lecturer in organic chemistry and became a reader in 1955. In 1960 he was appointed the Chair of organic chemistry at [[Queen Mary, University of London|Queen Mary College]]. In 1976 he became the 4th [[Vice-Chancellor]] of the [[University of Nottingham]], he held the position until his retirement in 1988. He was a consultant to [[Hoffmann-La Roche]], Basel, Switzerland between 1955 and 1978.<ref name="rsbio"/>
He attended [[Wandsworth School|Wandsworth Grammar School]] in South London,<ref>{{cite book|title= Who's Who 2001|year=2001|publisher=A & C Black, London|isbn=0-7136-5432-5}}</ref> then a school in Guildford, prior to studying chemistry at [[Imperial College, London]] in 1940. He was awarded his degree just two years later, aged 19. He remained at Imperial College, studying for a PhD before taking a job with [[Imperial Chemical Industries|ICI]] working on [[dye]]s in [[Blackley]], [[Manchester]]. He returned to Imperial College in 1947 as a lecturer in organic chemistry and became a reader in 1955. In 1960 he was appointed the Chair of organic chemistry at [[Queen Mary, University of London|Queen Mary College]]. In 1976 he became the 4th [[Vice-Chancellor]] of the [[University of Nottingham]], a position he held until his retirement in 1988. He was a consultant to [[Hoffmann-La Roche]], Basel, Switzerland between 1955 and 1978.<ref name="rsbio"/>


==Scientific discoveries==
==Scientific discoveries==
Weedon, in collaboration with L. M. Jackman, was the first to use [[NMR spectroscopy|magnetic resonance spectroscopy]] to study the structures of [[carotenoid]]s. He also worked on the synthesis of carotenoids and in 1953 described the synthesis of [[methylbixin]] which was produced by exposing [[bixin]] from ''[[Bixa orellana]]'' to [[iodine]], later he successfully synthesised bixin using the [[Wittig reaction]]. During the 1960s and 1970s, Weedon's research group elucidated the structures of and synthesised a wide range of naturally occurring carotenoids. These included, [[canthaxanthin]] (responsible for the pink colour of [[flamingo]]s), [[astaxanthin]] (responsible for the colour of [[lobster]]s), [[capsanthin]] and [[capsorubin]] (found in [[Capsicum|red pepper]]s), [[renieratene]] (from Japanese [[sea sponge]]s) and [[fucoxanthin]] (the most abundant carotenoid found in [[seaweed]]). Other compounds whose structures were discovered include [[alloxanthin]], [[mytiloxanthin]], [[decaprenoxanthin]] and [[violerythrin]].<ref name="rsbio" />
Weedon, in collaboration with L.&nbsp;M. Jackman, was the first to use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the structures of [[carotenoid]]s. He also worked on the synthesis of carotenoids and in 1953 described the synthesis of methylbixin which was produced by exposing [[bixin]] from ''[[Bixa orellana]]'' to [[iodine]]; later he successfully synthesised bixin using the [[Wittig reaction]]. During the 1960s and 1970s, Weedon's research group elucidated the structures of and synthesised a wide range of naturally occurring carotenoids. These included, [[canthaxanthin]] (responsible for the pink colour of [[flamingo]]s), [[astaxanthin]] (responsible for the colour of [[lobster]]s), [[Paprika oleoresin|capsanthin]] and [[Paprika oleoresin|capsorubin]] (found in [[Capsicum|red peppers]]), [[renieratene]] (from Japanese [[Sponge|sea sponges]]) and [[fucoxanthin]] (the most abundant carotenoid found in [[seaweed]]). Other compounds whose structures were discovered include [[alloxanthin]], [[mytiloxanthin]], [[decaprenoxanthin]] and [[violerythrin]].<ref name="rsbio" />


==Honours and awards==
==Honours and awards==
*1952 - [[Meldola Medal]] of the [[Royal Institute of Chemistry]]<ref name="rsbio" />
*1952 - [[Meldola Medal]] of the [[Royal Institute of Chemistry]]<ref name="rsbio" />
*1971 - Elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Society]]<ref name="rsbio" />
*1971 - Elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Society]]<ref name="rsbio" />
*1974 - Appointed as a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<ref name="rsbio" />
*1974 - Appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<ref name="rsbio" />


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.open.ac.uk/ou5/Arts/chemists/person.cfm?SearchID=8647 Biographical Database of the British Chemical Community]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120204040309/http://www.open.ac.uk/ou5/Arts/chemists/person.cfm?SearchID=8647 Biographical Database of the British Chemical Community]
*[http://rsbm.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/51/425.full.pdf Basil Weedon's biography in this database]
*[http://rsbm.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/51/425.full.pdf Basil Weedon's biography in this database]


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}}
}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Weedon, Basil
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British chemist
| DATE OF BIRTH = 18 July 1923
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 10 October 2003
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weedon, Basil}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weedon, Basil}}
[[Category:People associated with the University of Nottingham]]
[[Category:Vice-Chancellors of the University of Nottingham]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Academics of Queen Mary, University of London]]
[[Category:Academics of Queen Mary University of London]]
[[Category:Alumni of Imperial College London]]
[[Category:People from Wimbledon, London]]

Latest revision as of 03:22, 21 April 2024

Basil Weedon
Oil on canvas painting
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham
In office
1976–1988
Preceded byJohn Butterfield
Succeeded byColin Campbell
Personal details
Born(1923-07-18)18 July 1923
Wimbledon, London
Died10 October 2003(2003-10-10) (aged 80)
Alma materImperial College, London

Professor Basil Charles Leicester Weedon CBE, FRS (18 July 1923 – 10 October 2003) was an organic chemist and university administrator. Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, he was the first to map the structures of carotenoid pigments, including astaxanthin, rubixanthin and canthaxanthin.[1]

Personal life[edit]

Weedon was born in Wimbledon, his father was a dentist and his mother came from a family of prosperous jewellers. His parents separated when he was nine years old and he remained living with his father, within a few years he had lost all contact with his mother and his younger sister.

During World War II, he was evacuated to a farm near Guildford. His wife, Barbara Dawe, served in the Women's Royal Navy Service during World War II, whilst working there she met Basil's cousin and later Basil. They married in 1959 and had two children, Sarah and Matthew. Weedon suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years.[1]

Academic life[edit]

He attended Wandsworth Grammar School in South London,[2] then a school in Guildford, prior to studying chemistry at Imperial College, London in 1940. He was awarded his degree just two years later, aged 19. He remained at Imperial College, studying for a PhD before taking a job with ICI working on dyes in Blackley, Manchester. He returned to Imperial College in 1947 as a lecturer in organic chemistry and became a reader in 1955. In 1960 he was appointed the Chair of organic chemistry at Queen Mary College. In 1976 he became the 4th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, a position he held until his retirement in 1988. He was a consultant to Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland between 1955 and 1978.[1]

Scientific discoveries[edit]

Weedon, in collaboration with L. M. Jackman, was the first to use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the structures of carotenoids. He also worked on the synthesis of carotenoids and in 1953 described the synthesis of methylbixin which was produced by exposing bixin from Bixa orellana to iodine; later he successfully synthesised bixin using the Wittig reaction. During the 1960s and 1970s, Weedon's research group elucidated the structures of and synthesised a wide range of naturally occurring carotenoids. These included, canthaxanthin (responsible for the pink colour of flamingos), astaxanthin (responsible for the colour of lobsters), capsanthin and capsorubin (found in red peppers), renieratene (from Japanese sea sponges) and fucoxanthin (the most abundant carotenoid found in seaweed). Other compounds whose structures were discovered include alloxanthin, mytiloxanthin, decaprenoxanthin and violerythrin.[1]

Honours and awards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Pattenden, G. (2005). "Basil Charles Leicester Weedon. 18 July 1923 -- 10 October 2003: Elected FRS 1971". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 51: 425. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2005.0029.
  2. ^ Who's Who 2001. A & C Black, London. 2001. ISBN 0-7136-5432-5.

External links[edit]

Academic offices
Preceded by Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham
1976– 1988 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Basil_Weedon&oldid=1219985177"