Pedersens Discovery of Crown Compounds

Pedersen reasoned that there must have been a small amount of catechol present which had not been protected properly. This must have led to the formation of 1 in situ 

Extensive and important as Pedersen s efforts were, they might have been even greater had he not prepared the first examples of crown ethers when he was beyond sixty years of age. After giving birth to a remarkable child, he was unable to nurture it because of his retirement in 1969. 

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