Obituary: Alex Nickon

Alex Nickon, 93, died March 24, 2021, in Copper Canyon, Texas.

“Nickon was an authority on the study of fundamental organic reaction mechanisms, especially of carbocation and carbene rearrangements. He is perhaps best known for his elucidation of homoenolization. In nearly 40 years at Johns Hopkins University, Alex was an exemplary educator and mentor, and he gave selflessly to the broader chemical community through service to the American Chemical Society in several capacities: as a senior editor of the Journal of Organic Chemistry and for nearly 20 years as the American executive editor of Tetrahedron. Both colleagues and former students agree that Alex was eternally positive and ever ready with measured, sage advice. In addition to these admirable professional and personal qualities, it is little known that Alex was also an accomplished magician.”—Craig Townsend, colleague

Most recent title: Professor Emeritus of chemistry, Johns Hopkins University

Education: BS, chemistry, University of Alberta, 1949; MA, organic chemistry, 1951, and PhD, organic chemistry, 1953, Harvard University

Survivors: Daughters, Dale Svatik, Linda Lindsay, and Leanne Nickon; two grandchildren

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