John Charles Warner (born October 25, 1962) is an American chemist, educator, and entrepreneur, best known as one of the founders of the field of green chemistry. Warner worked in industry for nearly a decade as a researcher at Polaroid Corporation, before moving to academia where he worked in various positions at University of Massachusetts Boston and Lowell.[1] Warner is co-founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer at the Warner-Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, as well as co-founder and President of Beyond Benign. He is the recipient of the 2014 Perkin Medal, widely acknowledged as the highest honor in American industrial chemistry.[2]
Warner was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, to John A. and Natalie Warner as part of a huge family, including 47 first cousins within a one-mile radius.[3] During his childhood, Warner first met his long-time friend and colleague Paul Anastas at age eleven, with whom he later co-authored the defining work in the developing field, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice.[4]
Anastas and Warner both attended Quincy High School, where Warner was most well-known, not as a chemist, but as a musician.[5] There, he played in the marching band and the jazz band, and was voted class musician.[3] No one in Warner's family at the time had attended university, and most of them worked as tradespeople, but Warner ultimately decided to attend University of Massachusetts Boston, where Anastas also matriculated, as a music major.[3] Warner worked in construction full-time to pay his own tuition throughout college.[5] He played in a successful band called the Elements until the death of drummer James "Opie" Neil, at which point Warner became more much involved in his then-elective chemistry classes.[3] He began doing research in the laboratory of Jean-Pierre Anselme, where Anastas also worked, and this ultimately inspired him to switch majors.[6] He published five papers as an undergraduate by the time he was twenty years old.[3] Warner graduated alongside Anastas, receiving his B.S. in chemistry in 1984.[7]
After college, Warner pursued graduate studies at Princeton University, where he received a PhD in chemistry after completing a doctoral dissertation, titled "Synthesis of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines (5-deazapteridines)", under the supervision of Edward C. Taylor.[8][7] His group helped synthesize pemetrexed (brand name Alimta), one of the most powerful anti-cancer drugs for solid tumors.[4]
Career
Warner was offered a job immediately after graduate school in research and development at Polaroid Corporation, where he worked for almost a decade.[5] During this time, Warner first conceived a theory called Non-Covalent Derivatization, a unique approach to chemical synthesis that involves changing the properties of a target material by exploiting its innate intermolecular forces. It was also while working for Polaroid that Warner was reunited with childhood and undergraduate friend Paul Anastas, then employed at the Environmental Protection Agency, at a meeting that inspired Warner to co-author his most influential work Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice with Anastas.[4]
In 1996, Warner returned to academia to work at University of Massachusetts Boston, where he served as tenured full professor as well as chair of the department of chemistry from 2001 to 2003.[7] It was also there that he established the world's first PhD program in Green Chemistry. Amy Cannon, whom he later married, was the program's first graduate and the first person to receive a PhD in the field of Green Chemistry.[1] He then moved to University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he established and directed the Center for Green Chemistry from 2004 to 2007.[4]
Warner left Lowell in 2007 to co-found, with investment firm executive Jim Babcock, the Warner-Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, and, with his wife Amy Cannon, Beyond Benign, a nonprofit organization for green chemistry education.[1]
Committed to educating the public on green chemistry, Warner has spoken as keynote and plenary speaker for numerous green chemistry and sustainability conferences. Aside from awards for his work in the field, he was selected (with Anastas) as a "Top 40 Power Player" by ICIS in 2008,[9] and as an Utne Reader "visionary" in 2011.[10]
Warner has invented technologies for companies including Nike, Givaudan, Covestro, Lanxess, and Entegris, as serving on advisory boards for companies including Dow, Nike, Levis, and Apple. In 2022, he took up the role of Distinguished Research Fellow at DUDE CHEM, Berlin[11] and as Green Chemistry Innovation Advisor at GL Chemtec, Ontario.[12] In 2024, Warner was appointed professor of practice at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).[13]
Non-Covalent Derivatization
Warner first articulated the concept of Non-Covalent Derivatization (NCD) at a conference in 1997,[14] but he employed this concept in practice as early as 1988.[15] He initially devised this method as a solution to a common engineering problem that hydroquinone (HQ), an essential developer in Polaroidinstant photography, is not readily soluble in water. HQ is desired in more modern applications for its potency as a reducing agent, and until Warner, this problem was typically addressed by traditional chemical synthesis, or modifying a target material by attaching various functional groups via covalent bonds, also referred to as "covalent derivatization."[16]Inspired by phenomena he observed in nature, Warner proposed NCD as an alternative means of modifying a target material, not via covalent bonds, but innate intermolecular forces.[4]
In the model example of hydroquinone, Warner devised a novel process of co-crystallization between HQ and a terephthalamide molecule, which yielded a product complex that was much more soluble in water than HQ alone.[17] The applications of this process ranged from film development to more recently cosmeticdermatology. NCD is now most often employed as an effective means of reducing the environmental impact of a process, by the minimizing the materials and energy required and waste produced, and is successfully applied in the production of pharmaceuticals as well as fragrances, agrochemicals, pigments, and food additives.[18] Warner holds patents based on NCD in many of these areas, most notably drugs to treat nervous system disorders, additives to increase recyclability of asphalt, and processes to reverse depigmentation in hair.[5]
Warner became so infatuated with Non-Covalent Derivatization that his Massachusettslicense plate bears the initials NCD.[3]
Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice
The seminal work Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice was first conceived in a meeting at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about Non-Covalent Derivatization (NCD). When a new manufacturing model for instant photography based on NCD of hydroquinone was rejected by the EPA, Polaroid sent Warner to give a seminar on this new method.[3] It was there that he met the branch chief at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, none other than his childhood and undergraduate friend Paul Anastas.[3]
The introduction of the book highlights that many environmental crises in the twentieth century, from those depicted in Rachel Carson's influential Silent Spring to the more recent events at Times Beach and Love Canal, stemmed from the poor practice of traditional industrial chemistry.[19] As the environmental movement grew, the chemical industry was portrayed as the clear antagonist. Anastas and Warner argue that in the past, the role of the chemist in the environment was limited to site monitoring and remediation after an accident, but in a present where so many new chemicals are constantly introduced, it is now imperative that chemists assure that anything created is non-toxic, before it is even synthesized.[19]
One of the most influential sections of the book outlines the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry, which have served as the foundation for green chemistry curricula[20] and the blueprint for chemical industry practice[21] throughout the world. The remainder of the book details how to design environmentally benign chemicals, from evaluating starting materials to examining concrete toxicological mechanisms and giving examples of green processes.[19]
Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice did not invent the term green chemistry, which was coined in the early 1990s, but it was notable because it helped to define the motives and a common mission in the developing field.[22] Within a few years after the book was released, the number of papers and patents published that included the term green chemistry increased steadily.[4] As of 2015, the book has been translated in fifteen different languages.[4]
The Missing Elements
Warner has more recently presented a series of lectures at industrial and academic campuses throughout the country on the importance and legacy of green chemistry, titled The Missing Elements.[4] Warner will release a book based on these presentations in 2018, his first since the publication of Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice exactly twenty years prior.[needs update]
Awards
Warner has been recognized for his pioneering work with several awards, including:
2002: "Distinguished Chemist of the Year Award" from the American Institute of Chemistry's Northeast Division[23]
2004: "Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentorship" from the National Science Foundation[24]
2008: "Leadership in Science Award" (with Paul Anastas) from the Council of Scientific Society presidents[25]
2011: "Environmental Merit Award" from the US EPA[26]
2016: "Harry & Carol Mosher Award" from the ACS Santa Clara Valley Section[30]
Related Research Articles
Gilbert Newton Lewis was an American physical chemist and a dean of the college of chemistry at University of California, Berkeley. Lewis was best known for his discovery of the covalent bond and his concept of electron pairs; his Lewis dot structures and other contributions to valence bond theory have shaped modern theories of chemical bonding. Lewis successfully contributed to chemical thermodynamics, photochemistry, and isotope separation, and is also known for his concept of acids and bases. Lewis also researched on relativity and quantum physics, and in 1926 he coined the term "photon" for the smallest unit of radiant energy.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) 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 155,000 members at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical engineering, and related fields. It is one of the world's largest scientific societies by membership. The ACS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code. Its headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., and it has a large concentration of staff in Columbus, Ohio.
Green chemistry, similar to sustainable chemistry or circular chemistry, is an area of chemistry and chemical engineering focused on the design of products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. While environmental chemistry focuses on the effects of polluting chemicals on nature, green chemistry focuses on the environmental impact of chemistry, including lowering consumption of nonrenewable resources and technological approaches for preventing pollution.
Henry Frederick "Fritz" Schaefer III is an American computational, physical, and theoretical chemist. He is one of the most highly cited chemists in the world, with a Thomson Reuters h-index of 121 as of 2020.
John Ross was a scientist in physical chemistry and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University.
Spencer Ferguson Silver III was an American chemist and inventor who specialized in adhesives. 3M credits him with having devised the adhesive that Arthur Fry used to create Post-it Notes.
George McClelland Whitesides is an American chemist and professor of chemistry at Harvard University. He is best known for his work in the areas of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, organometallic chemistry, molecular self-assembly, soft lithography, microfabrication, microfluidics, and nanotechnology. A prolific author and patent holder who has received many awards, he received the highest Hirsch index rating of all living chemists in 2011.
Malcolm Leslie Hodder Green was Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Oxford. He made many contributions to organometallic chemistry.
Frank Albert Cotton FRS was an American chemist. He was the W.T. Doherty-Welch Foundation Chair and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University. He authored over 1600 scientific articles. Cotton was recognized for his research on the chemistry of the transition metals.
Tobin Jay Marks is an inorganic chemistry Professor, the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Catalytic Chemistry, Professor of Material Science and Engineering, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Professor of Applied Physics at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Among the themes of his research are synthetic organo-f-element and early-transition metal organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials chemistry, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, molecule-based photonic materials, superconductivity, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and biological aspects of transition metal chemistry.
Carolyn Ruth Bertozzi is an American chemist and Nobel laureate, known for her wide-ranging work spanning both chemistry and biology. She coined the term "bioorthogonal chemistry" for chemical reactions compatible with living systems. Her recent efforts include synthesis of chemical tools to study cell surface sugars called glycans and how they affect diseases such as cancer, inflammation, and viral infections like COVID-19. At Stanford University, she holds the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professorship in the School of Humanities and Sciences. Bertozzi is also an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and is the former director of the Molecular Foundry, a nanoscience research center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Chad Alexander Mirkin is an American chemist. He is the George B. Rathmann professor of chemistry, professor of medicine, professor of materials science and engineering, professor of biomedical engineering, and professor of chemical and biological engineering, and director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology and Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly at Northwestern University.
Krzysztof "Kris" Matyjaszewski is a Polish-American chemist. He is the J.C. Warner Professor of the Natural Sciences at the Carnegie Mellon University Matyjaszewski is best known for the discovery of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a novel method of polymer synthesis that has revolutionized the way macromolecules are made.
Howard E. Zimmerman was a professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1980 and the recipient of the 1986 American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award.
Paul T. Anastas is an American scientist, inventor, author, entrepreneur, professor, and public servant. He is the Director of Yale University's Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Previously he served as the Science Advisor to the United States Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Agency's Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, appointed by President Barack Obama.
Green engineering approaches the design of products and processes by applying financially and technologically feasible principles to achieve one or more of the following goals: (1) decrease in the amount of pollution that is generated by a construction or operation of a facility, (2) minimization of human population exposure to potential hazards, (3) improved uses of matter and energy throughout the life cycle of the product and processes, and (4) maintaining economic efficiency and viability. Green engineering can be an overarching framework for all design disciplines.
Timothy M. Swager is an American Scientist and the John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research is at the interface of chemistry and materials science, with specific interests in carbon nanomaterials, polymers, and liquid crystals. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Inventors.
Esther Arvilla Hopkins was an American chemist and environmental attorney. Hopkins was best known for her career as a biophysicist and research chemist at American Cyanamid along with research in the Polaroid Corp Emulsion Coating and Analysis Laboratory. She also pursued a career working as an attorney with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) following her time as a chemist.
Kay Michille Brummond is an American synthetic chemist who is Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean of Faculty at the University of Pittsburgh. Her interests consider cycloaddition reactions that can realise molecules and natural products for organic photovoltaics and targeted covalent inhibitors. She was elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2010, a Fellow of the AAAS in 2021, and awarded the ACS National Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences in 2021.
Song Lin is a Chinese-American organic electrochemist who is an associate professor at Cornell University. His research involves the development of new synthetic organic methodologies that utilize electrochemistry to forge new chemical bonds. He is an Associate Editor of the journal Organic Letters, and serves on the Early Career Advisory Board of Chemistry - A European Journal. He was named by Chemical & Engineering News as one of their Trailblazers of 2022, a feature highlighting LGBTQ+ chemists in academia.
↑ Warner, John C.; Anastas, Paul T.; Anselme, Jean-Pierre (April 1, 1985). "The Wittig reaction in the undergraduate organic laboratory". Journal of Chemical Education. 62 (4): 346. Bibcode:1985JChEd..62..346W. doi:10.1021/ed062p346. ISSN0021-9584.
↑ Guarrera, D.J.; Kingsley, E.; Taylor, L.D.; Warner, John C. (1997). Proceedings of the IS&T's 50th Annual Conference.
↑ Muehldorf, Alexander V.; Van Engen, Donna.; Warner, John C.; Hamilton, Andrew D. (September 1, 1988). "Aromatic-aromatic interactions in molecular recognition: a family of artificial receptors for thymine that shows both face-to-face and edge-to-face orientations". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 110 (19): 6561–6562. doi:10.1021/ja00227a045. ISSN0002-7863.
↑ Foxman, Bruce M.; Guarrera, Donna J.; Pai, Ramdas; Tassa, Carlos; Warner, John C. (1999). "Noncovalent derivatives of hydroquinone: bis-(N,N-dialkyl)bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-1,4-dicarboxamide complexes". Crystal Engineering. 2 (1): 55–64. Bibcode:1999CrEng...2...55F. doi:10.1016/S1463-0184(99)00007-6.
↑ Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C. (July 1, 2002). "Noncovalent Derivatization: Green Chemistry Applications of Crystal Engineering". Crystal Growth & Design. 2 (4): 255–257. doi:10.1021/cg0255218. ISSN1528-7483.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
