Napalm, chemistry

Louis F. Fieser (1899-1977) was born in Columbus, Ohio, and received his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1924 with James B. Conant. He was professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College and then at Harvard University from 1930 to 1968. While at Bryn Mawr. he met his future wife, Mary, then a student. In collaboration, the two Fiesers wrote numerous chemistry texts and monographs. Among his scientific contributions, Fieser was known for his work in steroid chemistry and in carrying out the first synthesis of vitamin K. He was also the inventor of jellied gasoline, or napalm, which was developed at Harvard during World War II. 

Fieser, LF Harris, GC Hershberg, EB Morgana, M Novello, FC Putnam, ST. Napalm. Anal Chem (Industrial and engineering chemistry), 1946 38(8) 768-73. 

Mysels, K. J. (1949). Napalm. Mixture of aluminum disoaps. Industrial Engineering Chemistry 41(7) 1435-1438. 

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