Biography of Charles J. Pedersen
Charles John Pedersen was born on 3 October 1904 in Fusan, Korea. He was the son of Brede Pedersen and Takino Yasui. Charles immigrated to America via Portal, North Dakota during 1922. He married Susan Jeanette Ault, on 3 October 1947 in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. He was granted citizenship by on 25 November 1953 in Salem, New Jersey. He died on 26 October 1989 in his home, 57 Market St., in Salem County, New Jersey. He was cremated and his cremains buried in November 1989 East View Cemetery in Salem, Salem County, New Jersey.
Charles J. Pedersen came to the United States in 1922 to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Dayton in Ohio. After receiving a bachelor's degree he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a master's degree in organic chemistry. Although Mr. Pedersen's professors encouraged him to obtain a Ph.d., Mr. Pedersen decided to start his career instead.
In 1927, Mr. Pedersen began his work at du Pont, where he remained for the next 42 years, retiring at the age of 65. At du Pont his work resulted in 25 papers and 65 patents. In 1967 he published two works that are considered classics; they describe the methods of synthesizing cyclic polyethers, which he named crown ethers. The donut-shaped molecules he developed were the first in a series of extraordinary compounds that form stable structures with alkali metal ions. In 1987 he shared the Alfred Nobel prize in Chemistry with two other chemists for work in this area; the other individuals expanded upon his original discoveries.
Although suffering from myeloma, a form of cancer, and becoming progressively more frail, he nonetheless traveled to Stockholm to accept the Nobel prize.
Shortly before he died he was awarded the medal for excellence by the du Pont Research Fellows.
This text was provided by: The Benner, Cleaveland and Related Families