James Irvine (chemist)

James Irvine
Principal of the University of St Andrews
In office
1921–1952
Preceded bySir John Herkless
Succeeded bySir Thomas Malcolm Knox
Principal of University College, Dundee
In office
1930–1939
Preceded byJohn Yule Mackay
Succeeded byAngus Robertson Fulton
Personal details
Born(1877-05-09)9 May 1877
Glasgow, Scotland
Died12 June 1952(1952-06-12) (aged 75)
St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Spouse
Mabel Violet Williams
(m. 1905)
EducationAllan Glen's School
Alma materRoyal Technical College
University of St Andrews
University of Leipzig
AwardsDavy Medal (1925)
Willard Gibbs Award (1926)
Elliott Cresson Medal (1929)
Longstaff Prize (1933)
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic chemistry

Sir James Colquhoun Irvine KBE FRS[1] FRSE FEIS (9 May 1877 – 12 June 1952) was a British organic chemist and Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 1921 until his death. As a research chemist, Irvine worked on the application of methylation techniques to carbohydrates, and isolated the first methylated sugars, trimethyl and tetramethyl glucose.[2][3]

  1. ^ Read, John (1953). "James Colquhoun Irvine. 1877–1952". Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society. 8 (22): 458–489. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1953.0011. JSTOR 769223.
  2. ^ Hirst, E. L. (1953). "James Colquhoun Irvine, 1877–1952". Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry. 8: xi–xvii. doi:10.1016/S0096-5332(08)60096-X. ISBN 9780120072088. PMID 13138381.
  3. ^ Read, J. (1952). "Sir James Irvine, K.B.E., F.R.S". Nature. 170 (4314): 13–14. Bibcode:1952Natur.170...13R. doi:10.1038/170013a0. PMID 14957005.