Commercial Solvents Corporation (CSC) was an American chemical and

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

company created in 1919.

History

The Commercial Solvents Corporation was established at the end of World War I; earning distinction as the pioneer producer of acetone and butanol by fermentation processes developed and patented by Dr.

Chaim Weizmann Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( ; 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born Israeli statesman, biochemist, and Zionist leader who served as president of the World Zionist Organization, Zionist Organization and later as the first pre ...

Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,389 and Terre Haute metropolitan area, its metropolitan area had a populati ...

was chosen to be the site of CSC's research as this location made possible the expedient translation of new processes from the laboratory and demonstration plant into full production. As early as 1917, the corporation began work in

. It developed the conversion of corn and other grains into

ethanol Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

. They later produced

riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a vitamin found in food and sold as a dietary supplement. It is essential to the formation of two major coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. These coenzymes are involved in ...

by microbial action.

Presidents

* Philip G. Mumford 1922 to 1928. * William Davis Ticknor Sr. 1920 to 1922 and 1928 to 1938, was president and

chairman of the board The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a Board of directors, board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by ...

. * Theodore P. Walker 1938 to 1947. * Henry E. Perry 1947 to 1950. * J. Albert Woods 1950 to 1959. * Maynard C Wheeler 1959 to 1966. * Robert C. Wheeler 1966 to 1973. * William S. Leonhardt 1973 to 1975.

References

{{Authority control Chemical companies of the United States Ethanol Defunct companies based in Indiana Terre Haute, Indiana Chemical companies established in 1919 Technology companies established in 1919 American companies established in 1919