Pierre Deslongchamps | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Pierre Deslongchamps

Pierre Deslongchamps, chemist, educator (b at St-Lin, Qué 8 May 1938). He is an international leader in the field of organic synthesis and his work on the stereo-electronic effects operative in many organic processes is widely acclaimed.

Pierre Deslongchamps

Pierre Deslongchamps, chemist, educator (b at St-Lin, Qué 8 May 1938). He is an international leader in the field of organic synthesis and his work on the stereo-electronic effects operative in many organic processes is widely acclaimed. After studies at Université de Montréal (BSc 1959) and UNB (PhD 1964), he became assistant professor at U de M in 1966 and the next year moved to U de Sherbrooke, where he was promoted professor of chemistry in 1972. Well-spoken in both national languages, he is a polished and popular lecturer and a stimulating teacher. His synthesis of the complex insecticide ryanodine stands as a landmark achievement in the field of organic synthesis.

He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1974 and in the same year awarded the E.W.R. STEACIE prize by the National Research Council. Twice honoured by the Assn canadienne-française pour l'avancement des sciences (Médaille Vincent, Médaille Pariseau), he won the Merck, Sharp and Dohme Award of the Chemical Institute of Canada in 1976. In 1983 he was elected to the Royal Soc (London) and was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1989.