It is with great sadness that we report the death of John Boulton, who passed away peacefully at home on 27 August, aged 91. John took to chemistry from a young age, having won a chemistry prize at his time in Solihull School. After studying natural sciences at Queens' College Cambridge, he went on to pursue his PhD in heterocyclic chemistry. He then worked with Alan Katrizky in the newly founded School of Chemical Sciences at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, where he spent the rest of his career. He was particularly proud to have worked with Katritzky on the Boulton-Katritzky rearrangement, which they first reported in the mid-1960s. John continued work on extensions of this rearrangement and related reactions for many years. He was closely involved in the planning and launch of two major works; Advances in Heterocyclic Chemistry (coeditor of 25 early volumes) and Comprehensive Heterocyclic Chemistry, coeditor (with Sandy McKillop) of three of eight volumes in the first edition. When Arkivoc was launched in 2000, John was again called. He acted as its first Coordinating Editor and was handling over one thousand incoming manuscripts submitted per year at one point. Nevertheless, he always was willing to help his colleagues as the final arbiter of structure assignments and naming compounds. He had many friends internationally, especially in Italy where he traveled regularly. In Norwich, he was a loving father to three stepchildren, and then later married Purabi Boulton and had a son, William. He embraced the Indian side of his family and founded a 'Boulton corner' of books in the Dibrugarh University library, Assam. William remembers him being surrounded by manuscripts for Arkivoc, as well as Tetrahedron Letters, and of the UEA, as well as editorial meetings for Arkivoc. Many of those who knew him noted his quiet wit and humour, kindness and exceptional knowledge, not just in chemistry but also music, the arts and nature. Outside of chemistry he was a keen bridge player, member of the chess club, and loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed. Donations in his memory can be made to Alzeihmers’ Society
https://www.memorygiving.com/johnboulton

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