Richard Manske
Richard Manske | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 September 1901 |
| Died | 1977 |
| Other names | Richard Helmuth Fredrick Manske |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester, Queen's University |
| Occupation | Chemist |
| Years active | 1924– |
| Organization(s) | General Motors, Yale University, National Research Council |
| Known for | Synthesizing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), identifying and synthesizing harmine and harmaline, others |
Richard Manske, also known by his full name Richard Helmuth Fredrick Manske, was a German–Canadian chemist who was the first to synthesize the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT). He synthesized and described DMT in 1931. However, DMT was not subsequently found naturally in plants until 1946 and its hallucinogenic effects were not discovered until 1956 by Stephen Szara. In addition to synthesizing DMT, Manske is known for identifying the chemical structures of and synthesizing the harmala alkaloids and hallucinogens harmine and harmaline in 1927 as well as for other scientific contributions. Manske died following an automobile accident in 1977.