GERALD SCOTT, DSc (Oxon)

G E R A L D S C O T T , DSc (Oxon) G e r a l d Scott r e a d C h e m i s t r y a t Balliol College, Oxford, a n d after t a k i n g a first class h o n o u r s d e g r e e i n 1952 c a r r i e d out r e s e a r c h w i t h D r W . A . W a t e r s o n free r a d i c a l r e a c t i o n s of b i o l o g i c a l l y i m p o r t a n t p o l y h y d r o x y p h e n o l s . H e j o i n e d ICI (Dyestuffs D i v i s i o n ) w h e r e h e w a s a p p o i n t e d M a n a g e r of P o l y m e r A u x i l i a r i e s R e s e a r c h i n 1 9 6 1 . I n 1965 h e p u b l i s h e d h i s first b o o k Atmospheric Oxidation and Antioxidants covering both technological and biological materials. I n 1967, Scott left i n d u s t r y to t a k e t h e C h a i r of C h e m i s t r y at t h e r e c e n t l y c h a r t e r e d U n i v e r s i t y of A s t o n i n B i r m i n g h a m , w h e r e h e d e v e l o p e d a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e n o w n e d r e s e a r c h g r o u p c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e o x i d a t i v e d e t e r i o r a t i o n a n d stabilisation of o r g a n i c m a t e r i a l s . H i s p u b l i c a t i o n s n u m b e r s o m e 3 0 0 scientific p a p e r s , m a i n l y i n t h e field of a n t i o x i d a n t m e c h a n i s m s i n r e c o g n i t i o n of w h i c h O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y a w a r d e d h i m a D S c i n 1 9 8 3 . I n 1985 h e p u b l i s h e d (with Professor G r a s s i e of G l a s g o w U n i v e r s i t y ) Polymer Degradation and Stabilisation for p o s t - g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s a n d r e s e a r c h e r s i n t h e p o l y m e r i n d u s t r i e s . Professor Scott also edited a n d c o n t r i b u t e d t o a series of e i g h t b o o k s titled Developments in Polymer Stabilisation from 1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 7 , a n d i n 1990 a b o o k entitled Mechanisms of Polymer Degradation and Stabilisation. I n 1993 Scott e d i t e d a n e w e d i t i o n of h i s e a r l i e r b o o k Atmospheric Oxidation and Antioxidants in t h r e e v o l u m e s , c o v e r i n g b o t h c h e m i c a l t e c h n o l o g y a n d biology, a n d i n 1995 h e edited (with t h e late D a n Gilead) Degradable Polymers: Principles and Applications. S o m e 4 0 i n t e r n a t i o n a l p a t e n t s resulted from Professor S c o t t ' s r e s e a r c h , t h e first g r o u p c o n c e r n e d w i t h a n t i o x i d a n t s in t h e t i m e - c o n t r o l l e d d e g r a d a t i o n of p l a s t i c s w h i c h a r e b e i n g u s e d w i d e l y i n m a n y c o u n t r i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e control of p l a s t i c s litter, in a g r i c u l t u r a l a p p l i c a t i o n s . H i s s e c o n d g r o u p of p a t e n t s a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e c h e m i c a l a t t a c h m e n t of a n t i o x i d a n t s t o p o l y m e r s a n d a r e f i n d i n g a p p l i c a t i o n i n p o l y m e r s subjected to a g g r e s s i v e c o n d i t i o n s ( h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e s , solvent e x t r a c t i o n , etc.). His t h i r d g r o u p of p a t e n t s is c o n c e r n e d w i t h a n e w class of a n t i o x i d a n t s d e r i v e d f r o m s p i n t r a p s ( i n c l u d i n g n i t r i c oxide) w h i c h h a v e a p p l i c a t i o n i n b o t h t h e d e t e r i o r a t i o n of o r g a n i c substrates a n d i n biological p e r o x i d a t i o n . Professor S c o t t ' s r e s e a r c h h a s i n c r e a s i n g l y t u r n e d i n r e c e n t y e a r s to h i s early interest i n m e c h a n i s m s of b i o l o g i c a l a n t i o x i d a n t s . H e h a s s h o w n t h a t oc-tocopherol a n d its o x i d a t i v e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t s a r e a m o n g t h e m o s t powerful a n t i o x i d a n t s yet examined in polymers at sub-ambient oxygen concentrations a n d he believes that the a n t i o x i d a n t m e c h a n i s m of t h e q u i n o n o i d p r o d u c t s is r e l e v a n t to t h e b e h a v i o u r of a t o c o p h e r o q u i n o n e in vivo. Professor Scott is a F e l l o w of M a t e r i a l s , a n d a m e m b e r elected h o n o r a r y life m e m b e r elected t o m e m b e r s h i p of t h e

of t h e R o y a l Society of C h e m i s t r y , F e l l o w of t h e Institute of t h e N e w Y o r k A c a d e m y of Sciences. I n 1988 h e w a s of t h e J a p a n e s e M a t e r i a l s Life Society a n d i n 1992 h e w a s I n t e r n a t i o n a l A c a d e m y of C r e a t i v e E n d e a v o u r s .