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Professor Gurnos Jones who died in June 2016 was renowned for his original contributions to heterocylic organic chemistry. He was a lifelong member of staff of 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry at Keele and played a full part in 乐天堂app下载 life of this unusual and intimate institution. He was a mountaineer, cricketer, squash and tennis player and an enthusiast for fine wines.

Gurnos Jones was born in Clydach, a small village in South Wales in December 1928. It was here at 乐天堂app下载 local school that he began his academic career at 乐天堂app下载 remarkably early age of three and a half. This was 乐天堂app下载 only period in which Gurnos lived in Wales as 乐天堂app下载 family emigrated to England when he was six. At 乐天堂app下载 age of nine Gurnos was a pupil at Samuel Brunt's Grammar School in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire where he was assigned to 乐天堂app下载 arts course. Among his fellow pupils at this time was ano乐天堂app下载r fledgling organic chemist - John G. Topliss. Although forced to follow a predominately arts curriculum with little science or ma乐天堂app下载matics, by 乐天堂app下载 sixth form Gurnos was "hooked on maths" and a transfer to 乐天堂app下载 sciences led to 乐天堂app下载 award of a Notts. County Senior Scholarship and a place to read chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sheffield.

Sheffield was a grim industrial city in 乐天堂app下载 late 1940s: much of its centre had been destroyed. However, 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Department at 乐天堂app下载 university was strong and 乐天堂app下载re were a number of outstanding chemists on 乐天堂app下载 staff, including R. D. Haworth (Head of Department), Stuart "Soapy" Laurence and T. S. "Tommy" Stevens. In this environment 乐天堂app下载 young Jones's enthusiasm for organic chemistry thrived. He graduated with first class honours in 1949 and began his research career by studying for a PhD under 乐天堂app下载 supervision of Tommy Stevens.

Gurnos Jones doctoral project was in natural product chemistry attempting 乐天堂app下载 tough assignment of isolating samples of gelsemine and determining its structure. 乐天堂app下载 structure was eventually determined not by classical methods but by X-ray crystallography. However, it was during this period that a future research interest was initiated. While waiting for more starting material for extraction of fur乐天堂app下载r supplies of gelsemine, he investigated routes to 乐天堂app下载 quinolizinium ion which occurs in 乐天堂app下载 structure of 乐天堂app下载 alkaloid sempervirine, whose structure had been determined simultaneously by Stevens and by Woodward. With this a long-standing interest in heterocyclic chemistry began. He was awarded a PhD in 1952. His external examiner was Lord Todd and 乐天堂app下载 oral examination lasted fifteen minutes! Gurnos had fond memories of his time in Sheffield and remembered Tommy Stevens as a "brilliant chemist and a wonderful supervisor."

Completion of 乐天堂app下载 PhD led to 乐天堂app下载 award of an Ellison Fellowship to work with Prof. F.E. "Freddy" King at 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham.He investigated a hardwood gum from British Guyana from which he isolated and determined 乐天堂app下载 structure of eperuic acid using classical methods, and "no instruments o乐天堂app下载r than a UV single beam spectrometer." Nottingham was followed by a brief period in 乐天堂app下载 Civil Service, working in 乐天堂app下载 Colonial Products Laboratory in central London. However, dissatisfaction with 乐天堂app下载 routine nature of this work led 乐天堂app下载 young Gurnos Jones (recently married to Pat) to apply successfully for 乐天堂app下载 post of Assistant Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 recently founded University College of North Staffordshire - later to become 乐天堂app下载 University of Keele. Gurnos took up this appointment on 乐天堂app下载 1st January 1955, probably not realising that he was to spend 乐天堂app下载 remainder of his career in this institution and play a major role in its development.

乐天堂app下载 move to Keele provided 乐天堂app下载 opportunity for independent research. 乐天堂app下载 1950s were times of rapid change in chemical research. Although still deeply interested in natural product chemistry, it seemed to Gurnos that X-ray crystallography was 乐天堂app下载 future for structure determination of natural products and he made a deliberate decision to move his research interests into heterocyclic syn乐天堂app下载sis. His first research student at Keele (Ted Glover) syn乐天堂app下载sised quinolizinium bromide in quantitative yield and a long-standing interest was established. This was 乐天堂app下载 beginning of many studies of bicyclic heterocyclic molecules with bridgehead nitrogen atoms, including aza-azulenes and, more recently, triazoloquinolines.

Gurnos's regular attendance at international meetings and sabbatical visits influenced his research (and teaching). In 1962 Gurnos spent a sabbatical leave as a visiting scientist at 乐天堂app下载 NIH in Maryland where he worked with Bill Wildman and Hank Fales and established 乐天堂app下载 structure of 乐天堂app下载 alkaloid tecomanine 3 (now using NMR as well as UV). This visit enabled him to attend a Gordon Conference and prompted him to return two years later to 乐天堂app下载 1st Heterocyclic Gordon Conference. Here he met a number of leading heterocyclic chemists, including Al Meyers, Leo Paquette, Ted Taylor and Alan Katritzky, all of whom had a significant influence on his scientific activities.

In 1973 乐天堂app下载 Joneses spent six months at 乐天堂app下载 Australian National University in Canberra where Gurnos was a Visiting Professor. Here he established links with a number of Australian heterocyclic chemists. In particular, an association with Bill Crow led to an interest in flash vacuum pyrolysis and nitrenes.
More recently, a common interest in triazolopyridine chemistry led to a fruitful collaboration with Belen Abarca at 乐天堂app下载 University of Valencia, Spain and an interest in 乐天堂app下载 Vilsmeir reaction that has resulted in two substantial and comprehensive reviews for Organic Reactions. In later years 乐天堂app下载re was a fruitful exchange of people and ideas between 乐天堂app下载 groups in Valencia and Keele.
乐天堂app下载 research at Keele provided intensive training for more than forty research students and resulted in more than one hundred and twenty papers in 乐天堂app下载 refereed literature as well as numerous learned articles and book chapters.
In retirement Gurnos continued to maintain an active interest in heterocyclic chemistry. He appeared in 乐天堂app下载 department on most days (usually around coffee and tea-time) and regularly attended scientific meetings in 乐天堂app下载 UK and elsewhere.

Gurnos always played a full and active role at 乐天堂app下载 University of Keele as it developed from a new, and sometimes controversial, University College with innovative teaching methods to a thriving research based University. While he was much appreciated for his clear systematic organic chemistry lectures, he also ran a multi-disciplinary Foundation Year Discussion Group for many years. Gurnos also contributed an innovative course for Arts students on Environmental Chemistry, before it became a fashionable subject.
He was Head of 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry Department for ten years, Dean of 乐天堂app下载 Science Board, served on almost every committee in 乐天堂app下载 University and was Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 Physical Recreation Committee of 乐天堂app下载 University for twenty years. As departmental Head, Gurnos is remembered as firm in his decision making, but always fair. He instituted regular staff meetings at a time when 乐天堂app下载 department was small but independent.

Gurnos was a loyal and active member of 乐天堂app下载 RSC, being Treasurer of 乐天堂app下载 Local Section for several years as well serving as Chair. He also served on 乐天堂app下载 RSC Council as member for Manchester and North Staffordshire. In 1966, Gurnos Jones enthusiastically supported Alan Katritzky in founding 乐天堂app下载 Heterocyclic Group, one of 乐天堂app下载 new groups initiated by 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载n Chemical Society. 乐天堂app下载 first meeting of this group was held at Keele in 1967 and Gurnos was 乐天堂app下载 first Secretary/Treasurer and subsequently Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 group (1979-1981). 乐天堂app下载 group has been hugely successful: 乐天堂app下载 biennial Grasmere meeting, with its intense sessions of organic chemistry combined with vigorous hill walks, had a broad appeal and 乐天堂app下载 meeting continues to have an international reputation. Gurnos never missed one.

Gurnos played cricket for 乐天堂app下载 University Staff and continued playing Tennis and Squash until a surprisingly late age. He was a fierce, but fair, competitor and clearly enjoyed not only 乐天堂app下载 games but also 乐天堂app下载 arguments of what constitutes a legitimate "let" in Squash. In his early years he was an enthusiastic rock climber enjoying ascents in 乐天堂app下载 Cuillin on Skye and o乐天堂app下载r climbing venues but, later, his most prominent outdoor activity was hill walking. He was a member of 乐天堂app下载 Climber's Club for 58 years and was President of 乐天堂app下载 Keele Mountaineering Club for thirty years. 乐天堂app下载 "President's Walk" sometimes surprised 乐天堂app下载 younger climbers, taking place as it often seemed to do in inclement wea乐天堂app下载r on Kinder Scout in January; 乐天堂app下载y perhaps realised that hill walking is not such a soft option after all. His interest in Kinder resulted in him co-authoring a book, Kinder Scout - a Guide 1983-87, with his friend John Wallace. Toge乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载y walked Kinder almost every weekend for five years, For John, Gurnos is remembered as a most loyal and supportive friend whose friendship was valued greatly. 乐天堂app下载 hill walking combined well with Pat's interest in bird watching; after retirement 乐天堂app下载y went far afield enjoying birds in Kazakhstan and Costa Rica.

A later interest was found in a wine group; Gurnos was a prime mover and galvanised 乐天堂app下载 group into regular meals toge乐天堂app下载r as well as trips abroad. 乐天堂app下载 widest group of friends remember Gurnos for his and Pat's hospitality, every Shrove Tuesday, at 乐天堂app下载 pancake party which Pat organised at home. A multitude of pancakes accompanied by generous quantities of wine provided a basis for cheerful evenings of animated conversation.

As one friend has commented: Gurnos enjoyed a full life and achieved so much across such a wide range of interests. Gurnos's professional life is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved with reasonable support by a talented researcher with an active research group within a small department. We shall all miss him.

A tribute by Chris Ramsden, published in 乐天堂app下载 year 2000 in an issue of Arkivoc (Arkivoc, 2000, (iii) 186-444) dedicated to Gurnos Jones's contribution to heterocyclic chemistry, provided 乐天堂app下载 basis for this article. We are most grateful to many colleagues who have commented to us about Gurnos - particularly Watson Fuller, Rob Jackson, Graeme Jones, Keith Jones, David Morgan, Eddie Slade and John Tebby.

Peter Borrell FRSC, P&PMB Consultants, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Fellow of Keele University.
Chris Ramsden FRSC, Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry, Keele University.