Charles N. Reilley

Charles N. Reilley
Born
Charles Norwood Reilley

(1925-03-02)March 2, 1925
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedDecember 31, 1981(1981-12-31) (aged 56)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Princeton University
Known forContributions to electrochemistry, chemometrics, and analytical instrumentation
AwardsAmerican Chemical Society Award in Analytical Chemistry (1965); Herty Medal (1968); ANACHEM Award (1972); National Academy of Sciences (1977)
Scientific career
FieldsAnalytical chemistry
WorkplacesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N. Howell Furman

Charles Norwood Reilley (March 2, 1925 – December 31, 1981) was an American chemist known for his contributions to analytical chemistry, particularly in electrochemistry, chemical instrumentation, and the development of modern quantitative methods. He was a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1977.[1][2]

Early life and education

Reilley was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. His father died when he was young, and he was raised by his mother, a public school teacher.[3] He developed an early interest in electronics and science, which led him to pursue chemistry.[3]

He received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1947, followed by an M.A. (1951) and Ph.D. (1952) from Princeton University, where he worked under analytical chemist N. Howell Furman.[1]

Career

After completing his doctorate, Reilley returned to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he spent his entire academic career. He rose through the ranks from instructor to professor and was appointed Kenan Professor in 1963.[1]

Reilley played a role in modernizing chemical education, advocating for the early integration of instrumental analysis into undergraduate curricula. His reforms helped establish UNC as an institution for undergraduate chemistry education in the 1960s and 1970s.[1]

He was widely regarded as a teacher and mentor, known for his ability to engage colleagues and students alike in intellectually stimulating discussions that advanced their understanding of science.[4]

Over the course of his career, he made contributions across multiple areas of analytical chemistry, including electrochemistry, chromatography, complexation chemistry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and laboratory automation.[4]

Research and contributions

  • Electrochemistry and titrimetry: He developed theoretical models for electrochemical detection methods, including high-frequency titrimetry and coulometric titrations, and designed instrumentation for precise current control.[1][5][6]
  • Metal complex chemistry: He advanced understanding of metal–ligand equilibria, including the thermodynamic basis of the chelate effect, and developed widely used analytical reagents and methods for metal ion detection.[1][7]
  • Spectroscopy and NMR: He pioneered the use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study metal complexes and protonation equilibria.[1][8]
  • Chromatography and separations: He contributed to developments in gas–liquid chromatography and related analytical separation and kinetic methods.[1][9]
  • Chemometrics and computing: He was among the first to apply pattern recognition and early computational methods to chemical data, helping to establish the field of chemometrics.[1][10]

Reilley also developed practical analytical tools, including a galvanic electrode for measuring dissolved oxygen in natural waters, which was widely adopted in environmental chemistry.[1][11]

Honors and awards

Legacy

Following his death in 1981, the Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry established the Charles N. Reilley Award in electroanalytical chemistry in his honor, first awarded in 1984.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Murray, Royce W. (2006). Charles Norwood Reilley, 1925–1981 (PDF). Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. Vol. 88. National Academies Press.
  2. ↑ "Charles Norwood Reilley". National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 Bursey, Maurice M. (1994). "Reilley, Charles Norwood". NCpedia.
  4. 1 2 Isenhour, Thomas L. (1982). "Charles Norwood Reilley, March 2, 1925–December 31, 1981". Analytical Chemistry. 54 (3): 426A–431A. doi:10.1021/ac00240a718.
  5. ↑ Furman, N. H.; Cooke, W. D.; Reilley, C. N. (1951). "Coulometric titrations with electrically generated ceric ion". Analytical Chemistry. 23 (7): 945–946. doi:10.1021/ac60055a004.
  6. ↑ Reilley, C. N.; McCurdy, W. H. Jr. (1953). "Principles of high-frequency titrimetry". Analytical Chemistry. 25 (1): 86–93. doi:10.1021/ac60073a014.
  7. ↑ Wright, D. L.; Holloway, J. H.; Reilley, C. N. (1965). "Heat and entropies of formation of metal chelates of polyamine and polyaminocarboxylate ligands". Analytical Chemistry. 37 (7): 884–892. doi:10.1021/ac60226a025.
  8. ↑ Sudmeier, J. L.; Reilley, C. N. (1964). "Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of protonation of polyamine and aminocarboxylate compounds in aqueous solution". Analytical Chemistry. 36 (9): 1698–1706. doi:10.1021/ac60215a006.
  9. ↑ Hildebrand, G. P.; Reilley, C. N. (1964). "Use of combination columns in gas liquid chromatography". Analytical Chemistry. 36 (1): 47–58. doi:10.1021/ac60207a019.
  10. ↑ Jurs, P. C.; Kowalski, B. R.; Isenhour, Thomas L.; Reilley, C. N. (1969). "Computerized learning machines applied to chemical problems. Convergence rate and predictive ability of adaptive binary pattern classifiers". Analytical Chemistry. 41 (6): 690–695. doi:10.1021/ac60275a025.
  11. ↑ Mancy, K. H.; Okun, D. A.; Reilley, C. N. (1962). "A galvanic cell oxygen analyzer". Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry. 4 (2): 65–92. doi:10.1016/0022-0728(62)80035-7.
  12. ↑ "Charles N. Reilley Award". Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
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