The serendipitous discovery in 1961 of dibenzo-18-crown-6 by Charles J. Pedersen marked the beginning of research on cyclic polyether macrocyclic compounds. These compounds have a remarkably selective affinity for certain metal ions and provide a framework for studying molecular recognition processes. Pedersen's work excited much interest in the scientific community and fueled important advances in macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry. Born in Korea of a Japanese mother and a Norwegian engineer father, he was educated in Japan and later graduated from the University of Dayton (BS, chemical engineering) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS, chemistry). He worked at du Pont for 42 years as a research chemist. His research talent at du Pont earned him an appointment as a Research Associate allowing him to pursue research as he chose. This freedom served him well making it possible for him to devote all his efforts following his discovery of dibenzo-18-crown-6 until his retirement to synthesis of cyclic polyethers and evaluation of their metal ion complexation properties. His influence on macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry has been pervasive. He was co-recipient of the 1987 Nobel Prize in chemistry for development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity. The year 2017 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of his first paper describing his synthesis of over 50 crown ethers.

中文翻译：

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查尔斯·佩德森（Charles J. Pedersen）的化学遗产

1961年，Charles J. Pedersen偶然发现了dibenzo-18-crown-6，这标志着环状聚醚大环化合物研究的开始。这些化合物对某些金属离子具有显着的选择性亲和力，并为研究分子识别过程提供了框架。Pedersen的工作引起了科学界的极大兴趣，并推动了大环化学和超分子化学的重要进展。他出生于日本，母亲是日本人，父亲是挪威的工程师，他在日本接受教育，后来毕业于代顿大学（化学工程学士学位）和麻省理工学院（化学博士学位）。他在杜邦大学（Du Pont）工作了42年，担任研究化学家。他在杜邦（Du Pont）的研究才华使他获得了研究助理的任命，使他能够按自己的意愿从事研究。这种自由为他提供了很好的条件，使他有可能在发现二苯并18-冠-6之后一直致力于他的所有努力，直到他退休以合成环状聚醚并评估其金属离子络合性质。他对大环和超分子化学的影响无处不在。他是1987年诺贝尔化学奖的共同获奖者，该奖是由于开发和使用具有高选择性的结构特异性相互作用的分子而获得的。2017年是他的第一篇论文发表50周年，该论文描述了他合成超过50种冠醚的方法。他对大环和超分子化学的影响无处不在。他是1987年诺贝尔化学奖的共同获奖者，该奖是由于开发和使用具有高选择性的结构特异性相互作用的分子而获得的。2017年是他的第一篇论文发表50周年，该论文描述了他合成超过50种冠醚的方法。他对大环和超分子化学的影响无处不在。他是1987年诺贝尔化学奖的共同获奖者，该奖是由于开发和使用具有高选择性的结构特异性相互作用的分子而获得的。2017年是他的第一篇论文发表50周年，该论文描述了他合成超过50种冠醚的方法。