Title and Description Page
Childhood and Early Education 1
Early interests in chemistry and physics. Family and school emphasis on humanities. Sidgwick's Electronic Theory of Valency. Training in languages. The influence of Dickinson and Parton.
Student Life and Undergraduate Study at Oxford University 5
First impressions of Oxford and Hinshelwood. Oxonian traditions. Courses, labs, and lectures. Early work on reactions in solution. Hinshelwood as tutor and linguist. Commonwealth Fellowship.
Henry Eyring 13
Personality and approach to research. Contrast to Hinshelwood and Oxford.
Colleagues and Teachers at Princeton University 15
Eyring as a lecturer. Courses in quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, organic and inorganic chemistry. Kinetics with Hugh Taylor. Early transition-state work by Eyring and Hirschfelder. The Theory of Rate Processes.
Transition-State Theory 22
Reception of transition-state theory. Polanyi's and Evans' paper. Opposition to the theory by Lindemann and others. World War II.
Research during World War II 25
Work on free radical solutions with Steacie at the National Research Council of Canada. Ballistics and propellants at the Inspection Board of the U.K. and Canada.
The Catholic University of America and Francis O. Rice 26
Teaching biochemistry. Walter Moore and Hugh Hulburt. Conflicts with F. O. Rice. Rice's and Herzfeld's work on organic decompositions.
Nitric Oxide Research 29
Early work by Hinshelwood and Staveley. Rice's free radical interpretation. Hinshelwood's molecular mechanisms. Contributions by Laidler and Wojciechowski.
Research at the University of Ottawa 33
Gas phase kinetics, organic decompositions, and enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Formations of intermediates. Immobilization of enzymes. Chemical Kinetics.
Cyril Hinshelwood's Persona 35
Hinshelwood's linguistic and literary interests. The effects of World War II. Painting and cats.
The Effect of the Mormon Religion upon Henry Eyring 37
A friendly personality. Contrast of Mormonism to Princeton life. Exposure to the theatre. Problems with writing. Eyring's nationalism.
Other Kineticists 41
Hugh Taylor as chairman of the Princeton chemistry department. E. J. Bowen, D. L. Chapman, and J. W. Linnett. Noyes' visits to the University of Ottawa.
An Unusual Hobby: Acting 43
Amateur theatre in Ottawa. Lecturing as acting. Acting as compliment to an academic life.