Weinreb

Weinreb is a surname that appears among people in various countries and professions. It is most commonly encountered in Jewish and European communities and is borne by individuals across generations in fields such as science, medicine, and academia. As a surname, it may appear in different transliterations and is sometimes discussed in the context of notable figures who have carried it.

In addition to being a family name, the term Weinreb is associated with a concept in organic chemistry known as the Weinreb amide. The Weinreb amide is a derivative of carboxylic acids in which the amide nitrogen bears a methoxy and a methyl substituent, typically described as N-methoxy-N-methylamide. This reagent is widely used to achieve selective formation of ketones and aldehydes from organometallic reagents. When a single equivalent of a Grignard or organolithium reagent adds to a Weinreb amide, the reaction is directed to yield the corresponding ketone after aqueous workup, rather than proceeding to a tertiary alcohol. The amide’s structure stabilizes the intermediate and prevents over-addition, a feature that has made the Weinreb amide a standard tool in synthetic organic chemistry.

The term’s significance in chemistry reflects the broader impact of the Weinreb name beyond individual biographies, illustrating how a surname can also be attached to a widely used methodological advance.