creator:

Hixon, Ralph M. (1895-1978)

title:

Papers

dates:

1917-1978, n.d.

extent:

0.42 linear ft.  (1 document box)

collection number:

RS 6/3/12

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Ralph M. Hixon Papers, RS 6/3/12, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Biographical note

Ralph M. Hixon was born May 7, 1895 in Crown Point, Indiana.  He received his B.S. (1917) in chemistry from Iowa State College (University).  After serving in the armed forces, Dr. Hixon became an instructor (1918-1919) at the University of Maine.  He was then awarded a fellowship (1919-1921) by the American-Scandinavian Foundation to study at the Nobel Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.  He studied the role of pH in biological systems and conducted studies on plant germination and growth under the supervision of Dr. Svante Arrhenius.

Dr. Hixon returned to the United States and received his Ph.D. (1922) in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin.  He then returned to Europe to study at the Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule (1922-1923) with Professor Karl Freudenberg where he helped develop the Freudenberg-Hixon method for the methylation of carbohydrates. 

Dr. Hixon was appointed Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State College (University) in 1923.  He was soon promoted to Associate Professor (1927-1929) and Professor (1929-1964).  Dr. Hixon was also appointed Research Professor (1934-1939) and Head (1939-1940) of the Plant Chemistry subsection of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station.  He was promoted to Head (1944-1948) of the Department of Chemistry and then named Dean (1948-1960) of the Graduate College.  Dr. Hixon returned to teaching chemistry (1960-1964) until his formal retirement.  He was named Dean Emeritus of the Graduate College in 1963.

Dr. Hixon published numerous articles and received several awards during his tenure at Iowa State.  He conducted research on topics including starch chemistry and technology, chemistry and the industrial potential of organic agricultural products, the electron-sharing ability of organic radicals,  and basic carbohydrate chemistry.  Dr. Hixon received the Midwest Award (1945) of the St. Louis section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Kenneth A. Spencer Award of the Kansas City section of the ACS (1955).  He received the Iowa State University Faculty Citation in 1958.  He was a member of Alpha Sigma Chi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, and the American Chemical Society.

Collection description

Organization

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order.

1

2

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1948

1

3

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1949

1

4

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1950

1

5

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1951

1

6

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1952

1

7

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1953

1

8

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1954

1

9

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1955

1

10

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1956

1

11

Address to the Graduate Faculty

1958

1

12

Article – “Catalytic Reduction of Nicotine and Metanicotine”

1930

1

13

Article – “Chemical Examination of the Tissue of the Cornstalk”

1929

1

14

Article – “Chemical Testing of Nicotine Dusts”

1927

1

15

Article – “Chemical Testing of Nicotine Dusts”

1928

1

16

Article – “Commercial Production of Levulose”

1931

1

17

Article – “The Effect of the Reaction of a Nutritive Solution on Germination and the First Stages of Plant Growth”

1920

1

18

Article – “Electrodialysis as a Means of Studying Biochemical Differences in Abnormal Apple Tissue”

1927

1

19

Article – “Electron-Sharing Ability of Organic Radicals”

1927

1

20

Article – “Electron-Sharing Ability of Organic Radicals.  VI. Alpha-Substituted Pyrrolines and Pyrrolidines”

1932

1

21

Article – “Electron-Sharing Ability of Organic Radicals.  VII. Dissociation Constants of a Series of Organic Acids and Amines in Water, Methanol and Ethanol”

1934

1

22

Article – “Electron-Sharing Ability of Organic Radicals: Conductivity of Organo-Mercuric Nitrates and Chlorides”

1930

1

23

Article – “Electron-Sharing Ability of Organic Radicals: Glucose and Other Poly-Alcohols”

1928

1

24

Article – “A General Method of Synthesis for Alpha-Substituted Pyrrolines and Pyrrolidines”

1931

1

25

Article – “Measurements with Sodium and Potassium Amalgam Electrodes in Solutions Containing: I. Sodium Chloride; II. Potassium Chloride; III. Sodium and Potassium Chlorides”

1930

1

26

Article – “The Partition of the Constituents of the Cornstalk By the Action of Alkali”

1932

1

27

Article – “Preparation of Some Organo-Mercuric Nitrates and a Method of Analysis for Mercuric Applicable to Dilute Solutions of Such Compounds”

1930

1

28

Article – “Reduction of Furan and the Preparation of Tetramethylene Derivatives”

1934

1

29

Article – “Some Effects of the Waxy Gene in Corn on Properties of the Endosperm Starch”

1943

1

30

Article – “Structure of Beta-Glucochloralose”

1929

1

31

Article – “Structure of the Chloraloses. Beta-Xylochloralose”

1930

1

32

Article – “A Study of Amino and Oximo Derivatives of Thymoquinone”

1923

1

33

Article – “Synthesis and Properties of 3-Chloro-Diacetone-Glucose”

1926

1

34

Article – “Synthesis of N-Phenylpyrrolidine and N-Hexahydrophenylpyrrolidine”

1930

1

35

Article – “Synthesis of Some New Compounds in the Pyrrole and Pyrrolidine Series”

1931

1

36

Article – “Volatility of Nicotine”

1928

1

1

Biographical Information

1917-1978, n.d.

1

37

Notes and Drafts of Articles

n.d.

1

38

Presentation – “The Graduate College,” Talk Before the Board of Education

1952

1

39

Publication – The Deserted Village, No. 3 – Power Alcohol and Farm Relief

1934

1

40

Writings – “Diagnostic Examinations and Vocational Degrees”

n.d.

1

41

Writings – “Vocational Objectives in Education”

ca. 1951