Friedrich Cramer (1923–2003): Nucleic Acid Chemist and Philosopher

Review: A History of Cyclodextrins

“…Cramer was the first to use the word cyclodextrins (abbreviated CDs) to define them. 163,164 That was, in fact, the title of his doctoral thesis (Ph.D. in 1949 under the supervision of Freudenberg). From 1950 onward, this terminology was increasingly used, 165,166 but the nomenclature of CDs remained a subject of debate until the 1990s.…”

“…He showed the catalytic role that CDs could play in chemical reactions through a key–lock interaction similar to that of an enzyme–substrate complex. These results were of fundamental interest at the time, and Professor Alexander Todd invited Cramer for a 1-year visit to his laboratory in Cambdrige . Cramer returned to Heidelberg in 1954 and accepted the position of professor of Organic Chemistry at the Technische Hochschule Darmstad in 1959.…”

“…At the end of the 1940s, encouraged by the works of Freudenberg, Friedrich Cramer focused on the properties of Schardinger dextrins, or French cycloamyloses, especially on their inclusion properties. Cramer was the first to use the word cyclodextrins (abbreviated CDs) to define them. , That was, in fact, the title of his doctoral thesis (Ph.D. in 1949 under the supervision of Freudenberg). From 1950 onward, this terminology was increasingly used, , but the nomenclature of CDs remained a subject of debate until the 1990s. − Table gathers the different nomenclatures used up until the middle of the 20th century.…”

“…These results were of fundamental interest at the time, and Professor Alexander Todd invited Cramer for a 1-year visit to his laboratory in Cambdrige. 164 Cramer returned to Heidelberg He continued to work on the chemistry of the CDs, and especially their uses in catalysis. 218−225 For instance, in 1958, he was the first to observe a CD-accelerated reaction studying the hydrolysis of ethyl p-chloromandelate in the presence of α-CD.…”

“…He died on June 24, 2003 shortly before his 80th birthday. In 2003, Fritz Eckstein (Max-Planck-Institute fur Experimentelle Medizin, Goẗtingen) 164 wrote: "Friedrich Cramer's death coincides with the end of an era following the Second World War during which the rebuilding of respect and recognition for Germany was of prime concern. Cramer contributed greatly to this endeavour.…”