Synthesis of Vitamin A Aldehyde

Abstract

In our communication in Nature, regarding the synthesis of vitamin A acid¹, we stated that “in the course of these investigations we received valuable assistance from Dr. H. H. Inhoffen, who suggested several other approaches to the problems”. We have in the meantime learned that Dr. Inhoffen, who is now professor of organic chemistry in Brunswick, feels that the wording of this acknowledgment may give rise to misunderstanding. We therefore wish to point out that in the course of the occupation during the War, Dr. Inhoffen superintended and directed our work on the synthesis of vitamin A acid and vitamin A, and his advice was of great help in our work. When communications between Germany and the Netherlands were broken, joint publication could not be envisaged. We therefore had to single out that part of the work which we thought we could claim in good faith to be based mainly on our own ideas. This we have done to the best of our abilities. After our contact with Dr. Inhoffen ended in September 1944, we pursued the work along new lines and now present further results.