Robert Bergman

Robert G. Bergman, the Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley, has had a distinguished career in chemistry. He received his B.A. from Carleton College in 1963 and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin in 1966, working under Jerome A. Berson. After a NATO postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University in 1966-1967, he joined the California Institute of Technology as Noyes Research Instructor, rising to full professor by 1973. In 1977, Bergman became Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley and Faculty Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, positions he held until 2016. Named Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor in 2002, he transitioned to emeritus status but remains active in teaching the graduate course in physical organic chemistry and collaborative research projects.

Bergman's research focuses on organic and inorganic synthesis and reaction mechanisms, particularly organotransition metal compounds and homogeneous catalysis. Notable achievements include the 1972 discovery of the Bergman cyclization—the thermal conversion of cis-1,5-hexadiyne-3-enes to 1,4-dehydrobenzene diradicals—critical to understanding DNA cleavage by enediyne antibiotics. His group pioneered intermolecular C-H bond activation using soluble organometallic complexes, exemplified in the seminal paper "Activation of Alkanes with Organotransition Metal Complexes" (Science, 1984). These innovations have advanced C-H activation for carbon-carbon bond formation, enantioselective reactions, metal-mediated oxidations, and green chemistry applications like polyol dehydroxylation and lignin degradation. Collaborations explore supramolecular catalysis in nanovessels. Among his many honors are the Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2017), Welch Award in Chemistry (2014), NAS Award in Chemical Sciences (2007), Arthur C. Cope Award (1996), and E.O. Lawrence Award (1994). Bergman has contributed to editorial boards of major journals, ACS leadership, and university committees.

Professional Email: rbergman@berkeley.edu