Sir Ian Heilbron DSO FRS (6 November 1886 – 14 September 1959) was a Scottish chemist,[2][3][4] who pioneered organic chemistry developed for therapeutic and industrial use.
[7][8] He was educated at Glasgow High School and then the Royal Technical College with G. G. Henderson.
Following an award of a Carnegie Fellowship he went to the University of Leipzig to study under Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch for his doctoral thesis (1907–1910).
[citation needed] His independent research career focused on the chemistry of natural products, including work on sterols, vitamin D, vitamin A, polyene synthesis, Squalene, terpenes, pyrylium salts, algal pigments, and spiropyrans.
[11] Heilbron, with Arthur Herbert Cook, also studied the synthesis and structure of penicillin.