Kuhn, Richard

Richard Kuhn, (born Dec. 3, 1900, Vienna, Austria-Hungary—died Aug. 1, 1967, Heidelberg, W.Ger.), German biochemist who was awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for work on carotenoids and vitamins. Forbidden by the Nazis to accept the award, he finally received his diploma and gold medal after World War II.

Kuhn took his doctorate from the University of Munich in 1922 for work on enzymes under Richard Willstätter. He spent 1926–29 at the technical school in Zürich and then became professor at the University of Heidelberg and director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research (later renamed for Max Planck) at Heidelberg.

Kuhn investigated the structure of compounds related to the carotenoids, the fat-soluble yellow colouring agents widely distributed in nature. He discovered at least eight carotenoids, prepared them in pure form, and determined their constitution. He discovered that one was necessary for the fertilization of certain algae. Simultaneously with Paul Karrer he announced the constitution of vitamin B₂ and was the first to isolate a gram of it. With coworkers he also isolated vitamin B₆. From 1948 he was an editor of Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie (“Justus Liebig’s Annals of Chemistry”).