James M. Schlatter
American chemist (1930–2019)
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James M. Schlatter (27 July 1930 – 15 November 2019) was an American chemist. He is known for discovering aspartame.
James M. Schlatter | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 27, 1930 Brazil, Indiana, United States |
| Died | November 15, 2019 (aged 89) Avon, Indiana, United States |
| Occupation | Chemist |
| Known for | Discovering aspartame |
Biography
James M. Schlatter was born on 27 July 1930 in Brazil, Indiana to Howard Schlatter and Bertha Schwab.[1]
As a child, he attended the Brazil Lutheran Church. He graduated Brazil Senior High School in 1948 and DePauw University in 1952. In 1954, he obtained a master's degree in chemistry at Indiana University.[1]
He served in the U.S Army. He worked as a chemist for G. D. Searle & Company.[1]
In December 1965,[2] Schlatter unintentionally discovered aspartame while working on an anti-ulcer drug. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine had been synthesized[3] by Dr. Mazur, and Schlatter then heated the result in a flask with methanol. The mixture bumped onto the outside of the flask, and then got on Schlatter's fingers. When he later licked his finger to pick up a piece of paper, he "noticed a very strong, sweet taste". He took a little bit of the crystallized aspartyl-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame) and tasted it, and found that it was the same substance he had earlier tasted.[2]
Schlatter died on 15 November 2019 at his residence in Avon, Indiana.[1]