History - People - Sir James Orme Masson FRS

Sir James Orme Masson FRS (1887 - 1962) Tenure: Assistant 1912 - 1920 Lecturer 1920 - 1921 Reader 1921 - 1924

The son of the Scottish-born Australian chemist David Orme Masson FRS (who did his PhD with William Ramsay in Bristol) and grandson of the Scottish man of letters David Masson (Professor of English at UCL 1852-86) little Irvine was born in Toorak, then a suburb of Melbourne (Australia). He obtained a BSc in 1907. With an 1851 Exhibition scholarship he came to the UK to study with the physical chemist James Walker in Edinburgh, and came to UCL to work with Ramsay. He was Ramsay's last personal assistant. His father, David, had been the first. He remained in the department until the outbreak of the First World War when he was seconded to the War Office Research lab at Woolwich. Returning to UCL after the war he was soon promoted to a Readership and published a book on the history of chemistry "Three Centuries of Chemistry" in 1925. In 1924 he moved on to Durham to be  Professor of Chemistry. He eventually became Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield University. He was elected FRS in 1939 and knighted in 1950. He died in Edinburgh on 22 October 1962.

His interests lay in Physical Chemistry of gases and solutions but in later life he also worked on nitration, a relic of his war work in Woolwich and the field which would make Ingold famous, as well as on hypervalent iodine compounds. During the latter there was a fearsome explosion in his lab which did huge damage. More seriously a large shard of glass entered his right eye. He did not lose his sight but it must have been a near thing. Wear your safety specs therefore!

For a more detailed biography with plenty of good anecdotes see Biographical Memoirs of the Royal Society (1963) vol. 9 pp. 205-221

Publications:

• Hypoiodous cations and their action upon an organic reagent.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1708-12.
• Iodous sulfates.
  Masson, Irvine; Argument, Cyril.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1702-8.
• Iodous cation as an agent for aromatic substitution. Masson, Irvine; Hanby, W. E.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1699-701.
• Iodine.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Inst. Gt. Brit. (1937), (Advance copy) 24 pp.
• Direct conversion of iodic acid and aromatic hydrocarbons into iodoniumcompounds.
  Masson, Irvine; Race, Edward.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1937), 1718-23.
• Organic and inorganic chemistry of iodine oxides.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Nature (London, United Kingdom) (1937), 139 150-1.
• The iodoxy group and its relations.
  Masson, Irvine; Race, Edward; Pounder, F. E.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1935), 1669-79.
• Thermal analysis, and its application to dinitrobenzenes.
  Pounder, Frederick E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1934),1357-60.
• A mode of studying nitration. II. Isomeric ratios in dinitrobenzene.
  Pounder, Frederick E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1934), 1352-7.
• Method of studying nitration.
  Hetherington, John A.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1933), 105-14.
• A compound of nitrobenzene and sulfuric acid.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1931), 3200-6.
• Melting points of nitrobenzene and of benzene.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Nature (London, United Kingdom) (1931), 128 726.
• The pressure of gaseous mixtures. III.
  Tanner, C. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1930), A126 268-88.
• The pressure of gaseous mixtures. II.Helium and hydrogen and their intermolecular forces.
  Gibby, C. W.; Tanner, C. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. of Durham,
  Eng.Proc.Roy.Soc. (London) (1929), A122 283-304.
• Thermal separation in gaseous mixtures.
  Elliott, G. A.; Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1925), 108A 378-85.
• Activity of water in hydrochloric acid.
  Dobson, H. J. E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1924), 125 668-76.
• Accurate calibration of capillary tubes.
  Isaac, K. J.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of Physical Chemistry (1924), 28 166-9.
• The pressures of gaseous mixtures.
  Masson, Irvine; Dolley, L. G. F.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1923), 103A 524-38.
• The activity of water in sucrose solutions.
  Garner, W. E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. Coll., London, Philosophical Magazine (1798-1977) (1921), 41 484-6.
• The analysis of liquid and gaseous mixtures of ether, alcohol and water.
  Masson, Irvine; McEwan, T. Lawson.
  Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, London (1921), 40 29-32T.
• Viscosity of solutions of nitrocellulose in mixtures of acetone and water.
  Masson, Irvine; McCall, Robert.
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1920), 117 819-23.
• Theory of gas-scrubbing towers with internal packing.
  Donnan, F. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, London (1920), 39 236-41T.
• Recovering volatile solvents.
  Craig, R. A.; Robertson, R.; Masson, J. I.O.; Drummond, A. A.
  (1917), GB 129024 19170926
• The occurrence of neon in vacuum-tubes containing hydrogen.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Chem. Soc. (1914), 29 233.
• Precipitation of Salts by the Corresponding Acids.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. Coll., London,
  Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh (1913), 33 64-8.
• The Use of Calcium Carbide for Determining Moisture.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Chemical News and Journal of Industrial Science (1911), 103 37-8.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. II. Solubility of Oxalic Acid in other Acids.
  Masson, James I. O.
  Proc. (1912), 27 328.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. II. Solubility of Oxalic Acid in other Acids.
  Masson, James I. O.
  Univ. Edinburgh,
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1912), 101 103-8.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. I. The Solubility of Salts in the Corresponding Acids.
  Masson, J. I. O.
  Proc. (1912), 27 125.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. I. The Solubility of Salts in the Corresponding Acids. Masson, J. I. O.
  Univ. Melbourne,
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1911), 99 1132-9.

Publications:

• Hypoiodous cations and their action upon an organic reagent.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1708-12.
• Iodous sulfates.
  Masson, Irvine; Argument, Cyril.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1702-8.
• Iodous cation as an agent for aromatic substitution.
  Masson, Irvine; Hanby, W. E.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1938), 1699-701.
• Iodine.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Inst. Gt. Brit. (1937), (Advance copy), 24 pp.
• Direct conversion of iodic acid and aromatic hydrocarbons into iodoniumcompounds.
  Masson, Irvine; Race, Edward.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1937), 1718-23.
• Organic and inorganic chemistry of iodine oxides.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Nature (London, United Kingdom) (1937), 139 150-1.
• The iodoxy group and its relations.
  Masson, Irvine; Race, Edward; Pounder, F. E.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1935), 1669-79.
• Thermal analysis, and its application to dinitrobenzenes.
  Pounder, Frederick E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1934),1357-60.
• A mode of studying nitration. II. Isomeric ratios in dinitrobenzene.
  Pounder, Frederick E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1934), 1352-7.
• Method of studying nitration.
  Hetherington, John A.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1933), 105-14.
• A compound of nitrobenzene and sulfuric acid.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society (1931), 3200-6.
• Melting points of nitrobenzene and of benzene.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Nature (London, United Kingdom) (1931), 128 726.
• The pressure of gaseous mixtures. III.
  Tanner, C. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1930), A126 268-88.
• The pressure of gaseous mixtures. II.Helium and hydrogen and their intermolecular forces.
  Gibby, C. W.; Tanner, C. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. of Durham,
  Eng.Proc.Roy.Soc. (London) (1929), A122 283-304.
• Thermal separation in gaseous mixtures.
  Elliott, G. A.; Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1925), 108A 378-85.
• Activity of water in hydrochloric acid.
  Dobson, H. J. E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1924), 125 668-76.
• Accurate calibration of capillary tubes.
  Isaac, K. J.; Masson, Irvine.J
  Journal of Physical Chemistry (1924), 28 166-9.
• The pressures of gaseous mixtures.
  Masson, Irvine; Dolley, L. G. F.
  Proc. Roy. Soc. (London) (1923), 103A 524-38.
• The activity of water in sucrose solutions.
  Garner, W. E.; Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. Coll., London, Philosophical Magazine (1798-1977) (1921), 41 484-6.
• The analysis of liquid and gaseous mixtures of ether, alcohol and water.
  Masson, Irvine; McEwan, T. Lawson.
  Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, London (1921), 40 29-32T.
• Viscosity of solutions of nitrocellulose in mixtures of acetone and water.
  Masson, Irvine; McCall, Robert.
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1920), 117 819-23.
• Theory of gas-scrubbing towers with internal packing.
  Donnan, F. C.; Masson, Irvine.
  Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, London (1920), 39 236-41T.
• Recovering volatile solvents.
  Craig, R. A.; Robertson, R.; Masson, J. I.O.; Drummond, A. A.
  (1917), GB 129024 19170926
• The occurrence of neon in vacuum-tubes containing hydrogen.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Proc. Chem. Soc. (1914), 29 233.
• Precipitation of Salts by the Corresponding Acids.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Univ. Coll., London,
  Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh (1913), 33 64-8.
• The Use of Calcium Carbide for Determining Moisture.
  Masson, Irvine.
  Chemical News and Journal of Industrial Science (1911), 103 37-8.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. II. Solubility of Oxalic Acid in other Acids.
  Masson, James I. O.
  Proc. (1912), 27 328.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. II. Solubility of Oxalic Acid in other Acids. Masson, James I. O.
  Univ. Edinburgh,
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1912), 101 103-8.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. I. The Solubility of Salts in the Corresponding Acids.
  Masson, J. I. O.
  Proc. (1912), 27 125.
• The Solubility of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solutions. I. The Solubility of Salts in the Corresponding Acids.
  Masson, J. I. O.
  Univ. Melbourne,
  Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions (1911), 99 1132-9.

This page last modified 20 September, 2010