Reinhard W. Hoffmann

was born in 1933 in Würzburg, Germany. He studied chemistry at the University of Bonn and received his Ph.D. under the guidance of B. Helferich in 1958. After a two-year postdoctoral stay at the Pennsylvania University in the research group of G. W. Brindley, he spent another postdoctoral year with G. Wittig at the University of Heidelberg. In 1964 he obtained his habilitation and moved as a lecturer to the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt three years later. He became a professor of organic chemistry at the Philipps-University of Marburg in 1970. Since 2001 he has been professor emeritus. Rein-hard W. Hoffmann was visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Bern, the University of Califorina at Berkeley, and the University of Kyoto. In 1993 he received the Liebig Medal from the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker for his brilliant achievements.

Scientific Sketch

Reinhard W. Hoffmann’s research interests include the development of new methods in ste-reoselective C-C bond formation and their application in natural product synthesis. Special attention is paid to the allylboration of chiral aldehydes, both inter- and intramolecular variants. The products with a stereodefined substitution pattern are key intermediates in the synthesis of different types of heterocycles or natural products. Hoffmann demonstrated another application of the allylboration reaction in the total synthesis of phenalamide A2 (1) (Fig. 1, Org.Lett. 1999, 1, 1713).

Figure 1. Total synthesis of phenalamide A2.

Another field of chemical research deals with the generation and application of chiral organo-metallic reagents and the investigation of reaction mechanisms. Hoffmann and his group developed an asymmetric synthetic pathway to generate Grignard reagent 2 with ca. 90% ee (Fig. 2, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 3072), which is used as a mechanistic probe in Grignard additions to carbonyl compounds and in Grignard-substitution reactions (e.g., J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 2001, 491; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 4204).

Figure 2. Asymmetric synthesis of a chiral Grignard reagent.

Recent research activities concern the confor-mational design of open chain molecular backbones. Hoffmann tries to find answers to the question of whether it is possible to create flexible backbones with preferred conformations i.e., defined shape. With the avoidance of allylic 1,3-strain and the avoidance of syn-pen-tane-interactions, he succeeded in predicting the conformational behavior of compounds such as 3 and in designing backbones with a Z-or U-shape conformation, cf. 4 and 5 (Fig. 3, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 2054).

Figure 3. Flexible backbones with preferred conformations.

Lamb Fillets

Starting materials (serves 1):

250–300 g lamb fillets

50 g lean gammon

1 yolk

1 onion (egg-sized)

75–100 g sour cream

1 tsp soy sauce

butter

Swiss cheese

salad

white bread

Heat the oven to 250 °C. Salt the fillets and roast one side gently for 10 minutes in a pan. Cut the gammon into 4-mm cubes and put them into a bowl. Rub the onion over it and add yolk, sour cream, and soy sauce.

Take the pan from the stove and put the fillet into a casserole. Spread the stuffing with a spoon over the meat, and add some rubbed Swiss cheese and a dozen of butter fluffs with a knife. Put the casserole into the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. Serve the fillet on warm plates. Enjoy the meal with some sort of salad and white bread.

The contributor suggests a red wine to accompany this meal, such as a Gironde, a St. Emilion, or a Margaux.

Meal and Music

«Especially when I am alone, the “right” music belongs to this meal.

As I am a fan of the old school of jazz music, I like listening to the records of

Sidney Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow from the years 1938–1943.

London’s second hand shops are a good place to enlarge my own collection.»

Reinhard W. Hoffmann