World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
William S. Johnson

William S. Johnson

D-Index & Metrics

Chemistry

D-Index
56
Citations
10157
World Ranking
11743
National Ranking
3158

Research.com Recognitions

  • 1991 - Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry or Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Elsevier
  • 1989 - Arthur C. Cope Award, American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • 1989 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 1987 - US President's National Medal of Science "For his outstanding achievements in organic synthesis, notably in the stereoselective total synthesis of steroids by classical and biomimetic pressures.", Presented by President Reagan at a White House Ceremony on June 25, 1987.
  • 1968 - William H. Nichols Medal, American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • 1952 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Overview

William S. Johnson was affiliated with Stanford University in the United States. Their research primarily focused on Environmental Science, with substantial contributions to Environmental Engineering, Water Science and Technology, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Physical and Theoretical Chemistry.

The scientist's work covered several main topics including:

  • Groundwater flow and contamination studies
  • Fecal contamination and water quality
  • Electrostatics and Colloid Interactions
  • Mercury impact and mitigation studies
  • Neural Networks and Reservoir Computing
  • Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
  • Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity

Their notable recent papers included:

  • Quantitative Linking of Nanoscale Interactions to Continuum-Scale Nanoparticle and Microplastic Transport in Environmental Granular Media, 2020, Environmental Science & Technology
  • Coupled influences of particle shape, surface property and flow hydrodynamics on rod-shaped colloid transport in porous media, 2020, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
  • Anionic nanoparticle and microplastic non-exponential distributions from source scale with grain size in environmental granular media, 2020, Water Research
  • Important Role of Concave Surfaces in Deposition of Colloids under Favorable Conditions as Revealed by Microscale Visualization, 2022, Environmental Science & Technology
  • Complementary colloid and collector nanoscale heterogeneity explains microparticle retention under unfavorable conditions, 2020, Environmental Science Nano

Frequent coauthors included:

  • Diogo Bolster
  • Bashar M. Al-Zghoul
  • Karan Garg
  • Eddy Pazmiño
  • César A. Ron

The scientist's publications were frequently found in these venues:

  • Environmental Science & Technology
  • The Science of The Total Environment
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
  • SSRN Electronic Journal
  • Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

William S. Johnson also contributed a book published by The Groundwater Project eBooks titled Colloid (Nano- and Micro-Particle) Transport and Surface Interaction in Groundwater in 2023.

Throughout their career, they received several awards including the William H. Nichols Medal (1968), Arthur C. Cope Award from the American Chemical Society (1989), the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry or Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry by Elsevier (1991), election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1989), and membership in the National Academy of Sciences (1952). Notably, they received the US President's National Medal of Science in 1987 for achievements in organic synthesis, particularly stereoselective total synthesis of steroids.

Best Publications

  • Simple stereoselective version of the Claisen rearrangement leading to trans-trisubstituted olefinic bonds. Synthesis of squalene

    William Summer Johnson;Lucius Werthemann;William R. Bartlett;Timothy J. Brocksom

  • Notes - Osmium Tetroxide-Catalyzed Periodate Oxidation of Olefinic Bonds

    Unknown

  • Biomimetic polyene cyclizations.

    William S. Johnson

  • Asymmetric synthesis via acetal templates. 3. On the stereochemistry observed in the cyclization of chiral acetals of polyolefinic aldehydes; formation of optically active homoallylic alcohols

    Paul A. Bartlett;William S. Johnson;John D. Elliott

  • The Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectra of Some α-Acetoxy Ketones

    Kenneth L. Williamson;William S. Johnson

  • Acetylenic bond participation in biogenetic-like olefinic cyclizations. II. Synthesis of dl-progesterone.

    William S. Johnson;Michael B. Gravestock;Brian E. McCarry

  • Nonenzymic biogenetic-like olefinic cyclizations

    Unknown

  • The Energy Difference between the Chair and Boat Forms of Cyclohexane. The Twist Conformation of Cyclohexane

    William S. Johnson;Victor J. Bauer;John L. Margrave;Margaret A. Frisch

  • A highly stereoselective synthesis of trans-trisubstituted olefinic bonds

    Stephen F. Brady;Marcia A. Ilton;William S. Johnson

  • An improved reagent for the o-alkyl cleavage of methyl esters by nucleophilic displacement

    Paul A. Bartlett;William S. Johnson

  • A Plan for Distinguishing between Some Five- and Six-membered Ring Ketones

    William S. Johnson;Wesley E. Shelberg

  • Biomimetische Cyclisierungen von Polyenen

    William S. Johnson

  • The First Examples of Nonenzymic, Biomimetic Polyene Pentacyclizations. Total Synthesis of the Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Sophoradiol

    Paul V. Fish;William S. Johnson

  • Methylation of Alcohols with Diazomethane

    M. Neeman;M. Neeman;Marjorie C. Caserio;Marjorie C. Caserio;John D. Roberts;John D. Roberts;Williams S. Johnson;Williams S. Johnson

  • The fluorine atom as a cation-stabilizing auxiliary in biomimetic polyene cyclizations. IV: Total synthesis of dl-β-amyrin

    William S. Johnson;Mark S. Plummer;S. Pulla Reddy;William R. Bartlett

  • Asymmetric synthesis via chiral acetal templates. 7. Further studies on the cyanation reaction. The use of acetals derived from diols with one chiral center

    Vanessa M.F. Choi;John D. Elliott;William S. Johnson

  • Cation-stabilizing auxiliaries: a new concept in biomimetic polyene cyclization

    William S. Johnson;Stephen J. Telfer;Soan Cheng;Ulrich Schubert

  • Rate enhancement of biomimetic polyene cyclizations by a cation-stabilizing auxiliary

    William S. Johnson;Stephen D. Lindell;John Steele

  • Asymmetric synthesis via acetal templates. 4. Reactions with silylacetylenic compounds. Formation of chiral propargylic alcohols

    William S. Johnson;Raymond Elliott;John D. Elliott

  • Cyclization Studies in the Quinoline Series. A New Synthesis of 4-Aminoquinolines

    William S. Johnson;Eugene L. Woroch;Bennett G. Buell

  • Stereospecific total synthesis of estrone via a cationic olefinic cyclization

    Paul A. Bartlett;William S. Johnson

  • Reduction of Steroidal Enamines

    James A. Marshall;William S. Johnson

Frequent Co-Authors

Paul A. Bartlett
Paul A. Bartlett University of California, Berkeley
C. David Gutsche
C. David Gutsche Texas Christian University
John D. Roberts
John D. Roberts Yale University
Louis Fieser
Louis Fieser Harvard University
Ulrich S. Schubert
Ulrich S. Schubert Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Hans Wynberg
Hans Wynberg University of Groningen
D. John Faulkner
D. John Faulkner University of California, San Diego
John L. Margrave
John L. Margrave Rice University
Ralph Hirschmann
Ralph Hirschmann University of Pennsylvania
Jerrold Meinwald
Jerrold Meinwald Cornell University

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