Editorial

Prof Dr Hans–Jörg. Schneider

This special collection of Natural Product Communications commemorates Prof Dr Hans–Jörg. Schneider, Department of Organic Chemistry, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany, on the occasion of his 88th birthday.

Many of us are aware of his outstanding contributions to NMR-spectroscopy of natural products, conformational analyses, and supramolecular chemistry (complexation of natural products, supramolecular interactions with DNA, biomimetic phosphate ester hydrolysis, chemomechanical polymers). Professor Schneider has authored around 250 publications, including several invited reviews. He was cofounder and associate editor for Europe of the Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry (Wiley) and edited and/or authored several books broadly related to Supramolecular Chemistry and Smart Materials.^1–7

Some of the World's leading chemists, including Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Lehn from Strasbourg and scientists from Cambridge and Yale, gathered during September 7 to 9, 2000, in an international workshop “Supramolecular and Combinational Chemistry” Saarland University, Saarbrücken on the occasion of the official retirement of Prof Schneider, who played an important role in the development of chemical sciences, not only within Germany but also in the international arena as well.

It was my pleasure to be associated with him as an Alexander-von-Humboldt fellow from 1980 to 1983 during which time I came to regard him as an exceptional individual. The experience gained from his research laboratories prompted us to write the first review article on carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy of flavonoids ⁸ and subsequently to edit a book on Carbon-13 NMR of Flavonoids. ⁹ A review article related to NMR spectroscopy of steroidal sapogenins and steroidal saponins ¹⁰ was also written to commemorate his 60th birthday.

Natural Product Communications was honored to publish a themed collection in honor of his 75th birthday which brought together many friends and colleagues from all over the world who have made contributions on several exciting topics related to Natural Products and Supramolecular Chemistry.^11,12 On the invitation of Prof Claus Jacob, it was my pleasure to present NPC's Birthday issue, Natural Product Communications, 7(3);283-418 (2012) to him during a celebration lecture on April 12, 2012, at the Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken. The stay also led to 2 joint publications.^13,14

On the happy occasion of Prof Schneider's 87th birthday, I was able to dedicate a review article related to antiviral significance of myricetin for COVID-19 in Natural Product Communications. ¹⁵ I also revisited Saarland University during August 2023 and delivered a talk in honor of his 88th birthday. Thank you so much Prof Jacob for your kind invitation and heart-touching hospitality.

The editors of this special collection, Dr Pawan K. Agrawal and Prof Claus Jacob, take great pleasure in thanking the authors of the various contributions and to Samantha Crown and Natalie Gerson, Sage Publishers for their support and kind efforts for the success of this collection. ¹⁶

Finally, I wish to thank Prof Schneider for his scholarly, scientific, and mentorship roles played in my life, both directly and indirectly. His dedication to his students and colleagues was inspirational and I would like to join all those who have known Prof Schneider as a mentor, a colleague, and friend, to salute him on this happy occasion and wish him many more productive years of scientific research.