Willstätter, Richard

Willstätter, Richard (1872-1942), German organic chemist and Nobel laureate, noted for his study of the structure of enzymes and plant pigments. Willstätter was born in Karlsruhe and educated at the University of Munich. He was director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin from 1912 to 1916.Willstätter is considered the outstanding researcher of his time in the field of organic chemistry. He specialized in the investigation of complex organic compounds, notably chlorophyll and enzymes. His other achievements include the synthesis of the alkaloid cocaine. He was awarded the 1915 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work on plant pigments.