Dr. John Warner is a chemistry inventor who works to design and create commercial technologies inspired by nature and consistent with the principles of green chemistry.
John has invented different solutions for dozens of multinational corporations, and his inventions have also served as the basis for several new companies. Learn more about some of them:
Ambient Photonics brings low light energy harvesting technology to mass scale. Initially focused on Smart Home and IoT applications, the company is making a new generation of connected devices with endless power a reality.
Beyond Benign develops and disseminates green chemistry and sustainable science educational resources that empower educators, students and the community at large to practice sustainability through chemistry.
Collaborative Aggregates, LLC designs, optimizes and brings into widespread use a portfolio of high-performing, cost-competitive, and easy-to-use construction and infrastructure materials with dramatically improved human and environmental safety profiles.
Collaborative Medicinal Development, LCC develops novel disease modifying drugs for the treatment of both neurodegenerative diseases and cancer by both inventing new chemical entities in house and licensing promising leads from third parties.
Hairprint worked with Dr. John Warner to create a dye-free, non-toxic hair treatment product to restore gray hair to its natural color.
The Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry designs, develops and commercializes high-performance, cost-effective and sustainable technology solutions across all industries that are touched by chemistry.
books and journals
Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice
Anastas, Paul T.; Warner, John C., Oxford University Press, London. 1998.
Founding Editor, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews
Editorial Advisor, Crystal Growth & Design
videos
Interview Jul 3, 2014 Taylor and Francis, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews
Interview by Eric Greenleaf on Marin Public TV
online articles
selected publications
GREEN CHEMISTRY
“Green Chemistry and Innovation”
Warner, John C. in “Teaching and Learning about Sustainability” ACS Symposium Series 1205, 2015 79‐85.
“Where We Should Focus Green Chemistry Efforts”,
Warner, John C., Aldrichimica Acta 2015, 48(1) 29.
“Foreword”, Warner, John C. in Problem‐Solving Exercises in Green and Sustainable Chemistry”
by Matlack, Albert S.; Dicks, Andrew P. 2016 CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
“Designing endocrine disruption out of the next generation of chemicals”,
Schug, T. T.; Abagyan, R.; Blumberg, B.; Collins, T. J.; Crews, D.; DeFur, P. L.; Dickerson, S. M.; Edwards, T. M.; Gore, A. C.; Guillette, L. J.; Warner, John C., Green Chemistry 2013, 15(1), 181‐198.
“Green Chemistry and The Pharmaceutical Industry: The Myths and Opportunities”
Cannon, Amy S.; Pont, Joseph L.; Warner, John C. in “Green Techniques for Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry” Eds: Zhang, W. and Cue, B., John Wiley & Sons 2012.
“Concentration of Bisphenol A in Thermal Paper”
Mendum, Ted; Stoler, Emily; Van Benschoten, Helen; Warner, John C. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews 2011, 4(1), 81‐86.
“The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry”
Jessup, Phillip J.; Trakhtenverg, Sofia; Warner, John C., in “Innovations in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: A Century of Achievements and Prospects for the New Mellenium” Eds. Flank, William H.; Abraham, Martin A.; Matthews, Michael A, ACS Symposium Series # 1000, 2009, 12, 401‐436.
“Linking Hazard Reduction to Molecular Design: Teaching Green Chemical Design”
Anastas, Nicholas; Warner, John C. in “Green Chemistry Education: Changing the Course of Chemistry” Ed. Levy, Irv ACS Symposium Series, 2009, 117‐136.
“Green Chemistry: Terminology and Principles”
Peabody‐Obrien, Karen, Myers, John Peterson, Warner, John Env. Health Perpectives, 2009, 117(9) A385‐A386.
“Green Chemistry: Foundations in Cosmetic Sciences”
Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C. in Global Regulatory Issues for the Cosmetics Industry, Vol. 2, Lintner, K., Ed., William Andrew, 2009, 1‐16.
“Green Chemistry Status and Future”
Warner, John C. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2009, 2(1‐2), 1.
“The Natural Evolution of Green Chemistry”
Warner, John C. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2007, 2(1), 1.
“Green Chemistry and Sustainable Materials Design”
Warner, John C. Society of Cosmetic Chemists Annual Scientific Seminar Proceedings, Boston, MA 2006, 44‐4.
“The Incorporation of Hazard Reduction as a Chemical Design Criterion in Green Chemistry”
Anastas, Nicholas; Warner, John C. J. Chem. Health and Safety 2005, 12(2), 9‐13.
“Green Chemistry”
Warner, John C.; Cannon, Amy S.; Dye, Kevin, J. Environmental Impact Assessment, 2004 24 775‐799.
“Asking the Right Questions”
Warner, John C. J. Green Chem. 2004 6, G27.
“Introductory Overview of Green Chemistry”
Pyers, John E.; Whitfield, Justin; Warner, John C. Proceedings of First Indo‐US Workshop on Green Chemistry, Delhi, India, (November 17‐19, 2003), 2005, 10‐13.
NON‐COVALENT DERIVATISATION
“Non‐Covalent Derivatives: Cocrystals and Eutectics “,
Stoler, Emily; Warner, John C. Molecules 2015, 20, 14833‐14848.
“Noncovalent Derivatives of Hydroquinone: Complexes with Trigonal Planar Tris‐(N,N‐Dialkyl)trimesamides”
Cannon, Amy S.; Foxman, Bruce M.; Guarrera, Donna J.; Warner, John C. Crystal Growth and Design 2005, 5(2), 407‐411.
“Synthesis of Tetrahedral Carboxamide Hydrogen Bond Acceptors”
Cannon, Amy S.; Jian, Tian Ying, Wang, Jun; Warner, John C. Organic Prep. And Proc. Int. 2004 36(4), 353‐359.
“Synthesis of Phenylenebis(methylene)‐3‐carbamoylpyridinium Bromides”
Zhou, Feng; Wang, Chi‐Hua; Warner, John C. Organic Prep. And Proc. Int. 2004, 36(2), 173‐177.
“Noncovalent Derivatization: Green Chemistry Applications of Crystal Engineering.”
Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C. Crystal Growth and Design 2002, 2(4) 255‐257.
“Non‐Covalent Derivatives of Hydroquinone: Bis‐(N,N-Dialkyl)Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane‐1,4‐dicarboxamide Complexes.”
Foxman, Bruce M.; Guarrera, Pai, Ramdas; Tassa, Carlos; Donna J.; Warner, John C. Crystal Engineering 1999 2(1), 55.
“Environmentally Benign Synthesis Using Crystal Engineering: Steric Accommodation in Non‐Covalent Derivatives of Hydroquinones.”
Foxman, Bruce M.; Guarrera, Donna J.; Taylor, Lloyd D.; Warner, John C. Crystal Engineering.1998, 1, 109.
“Pollution Prevention via Molecular Recognition and Self Assembly: Non‐Covalent Derivatization.”
Warner, John C., in “Green Chemistry: Frontiers in Benign Chemical Synthesis and Processes.” Anastas, P. and Williamson, T. Eds., Oxford University Press, London. pp 336 ‐ 346. 1998.
“Non‐Covalent Derivatization: Diffusion Control via Molecular Recognition and Self Assembly”.
Guarrera, D. J.; Kingsley, E.; Taylor, L. D.; Warner, John C. Proceedings of the IS&T’s 50th Annual Conference. The Physics and Chemistry of Imaging Systems, 537, 1997.
“Molecular Self‐Assembly in the Solid State. The Combined Use of Solid State NMR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry for the Determination of Phase Constitution.”
Guarrera, D.; Taylor, L. D.; Warner, John. C. Chemistry of Materials 1994, 6, 1293.
“Structural Elucidation of Solid State Phenol‐Amide Complexes.”
Guarrera, Donna J., Taylor, Lloyd D., Warner, John C., Proceedings of the 22nd NATAS Conference, 496 1993.
“Aromatic‐Aromatic Interactions in Molecular Recognition: A Family of Artificial Receptors for Thymine that Shows Both Face‐ To‐Face and Edge‐To‐Face Orientations.”
Muehldorf, A. V.; Van Engen, D.; Warner, J. C.; Hamilton, A. D., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1988, 110, 6561.
THYMINE PHOTOPOLYMERS
“Core‐shell Thymine Containing Polymeric Micelle System: Study of Controlled Release of Riboflavin”,
Saito, Kei; Warner, John, C., Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2009, 2(1‐2), 71‐76.
“Photosensitization of Bioinspired Thymine Containing Polymers”
Martino, Debora M.; Reyna, Dalila; Estenoz, Diana A.; Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Warner ; John C. J. Phys. Chem. 2008, 112(21). 4786‐4792.
“Influence of pH and Salt on the Photocrosslinking in Polyelectrolyte Thymine‐Containing Films”
Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Kumar, Ramya; Bianchini, Jason; Thor, Savin; Martino, Deborah; Warner, John C. J. Macr. Sci. Part A 2007, 44(12) 1311‐1315.
“Entropic Control of Processes and Materials”
Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Warner, John C. Chem. Reviews 2007, 107(6) 2174‐2182.
“Non‐Catalytic Photoinduced Immobilization Processes in Polymer Films”
Trakhtenberg, S.; Cannon, A. S.; Warner, J. C. in “Thin Films and Nanostructures: Physico‐Chemical Phenomena in Thin Films and at Solid Surfaces” Ed. by L.I. Trakhtenberg, S.H. Lin and O.J. Ilegbusi, Elsevier 2007 34, 665‐695.
“Core‐bound Polymeric Micellar System Based on Photocrosslinking of Thymine”
Saito, Kei; Ingalls, Laura; Lee, Jun; Warner, John C. Chem. Commun. 2007 2503‐2505.
“Thymine Based Water Soluble Phototripolymers: Their Preparation and Synthesis”
Bianchini, Jason R.; Saito, Kei; Balin, Taylor B.; Dua, Vineet; Warner, John C. J. Polymer Sci., Part A: Polymer Chem. 2007 45, 1296‐1303.
“The Effects of Irradiation Dose and of Photopolymer Composition on the Dissolution of Entrapped Dyes”
Kiarie, Cecilia; Jimenez‐Ruiz, Johana; Pheng, Kanika; Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Warner, John C. J. Macr. Sci. 2006 43(12), 1965‐1974.
“Entropic Control in Green Chemistry and Materials Design”
Warner, John C. 2006 Pure and Appl. Chem. 2006 78(11), 2035‐2041.
“Bacteriostatic Polymer Film Immobilization”
El‐Hayek, Rami; Warner, John C. J. Bio. Mat. Res. 2006 79A(4), 874‐881.
“Core‐bound nano micelles based on hydrogen bonding and photocrosslinking of thymine.”
Saito, Kei; Ingalls, Laura; Warner, John C. Polymer Preprints 2006, 47, 829‐830.
“Effect of Dye Additives on Photodimerization of Thymine Pendant Groups in Water‐Soluble Photoresist Polymers”
Yu, Catherine; Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Cain, Timothy E.; Warner, John C. Journal of Polymers and the Environment. 2006 14(2), 131‐134.
“Water Soluble Photocrosslinking Materials in Cosmetics”
Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C.; Saito, Kei; Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Whitfield, Justin. Society of Cosmetic Chemists Annual Scientific Seminar Proceedings, Boston, MA 2006, 46‐47
“Spectroscopic and Microscopic Analysis of Photocrosslinked Vinylbenzylthymine (VBT) Copolymers for Photoresist Applications”
Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Warner, John C.; Nagarajana, Ramaswamy; Bruno, Ferdinando F.; Samuelson, Lynne A.; Kumar, Jayant Chem. Mater. 2006, 18, 2873‐2878.
“4‐Vinylbenzyl)cinnamate: A Useful Monomer for Water‐Soluble Photopolymers”
Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C., J. Macr. Sci. 2005 A42 1507‐1514.
“Methylene Blue Adsorption on Thymine Based Polyvinylphenylsulfonate Films”
Kiarie, Cecilia; Bianchini, Jason; Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Warner, John C. J. Macr. Sci. 2005 A42 1489‐1496.
“Enzymatic Reversal of Polymeric Thymine Photocrosslinking with E. coli DNA Photolyase”
Whitfield, Justin; Morelli, Alessandra and Warner, John C., J. Macr. Sci. 2005 A42 1541‐1546.
“Photocrosslinked Immobilization of Polyelectrolytes for Enzymatic Construction of Conductive Nanocomposites”
Trakhtenberg, Sofia; Hangun‐Balkir, Yelda; Warner, John C.; Bruno, Ferdinando; Kumar, Jayant; Nagarajan, Ramaswamy; Samuelson, Lynne A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005 127, 9100‐9104
“Thymine‐Containing Styrene Polymers as Environmentally Benign Photoresists”
Lloyd‐Kindstrand, Lisa; Warner, John C. Biopolymers, 2002, 8, 165‐174.
“The Synthesis of 1‐[Vinylbenzyl]thymine, A Very Versatile Monomer.”
Cheng, C. M.; Egbe, M. J.; Grasshoff, M. J.; Guarrera, D. J.; Pai, R. P.; Taylor, L. D.; Warner, John C., J. Polymer Sci., Part A: Polymer Chem. 1995, 33, 2515.
“New Thymine and Uracil Photopolymers”
Cheng, C. M.; Egbe, M. J.; Grasshoff, M. J.; Guarrera, D. J.; Pai, R. P.; Taylor, L. D.; Warner, John C. Proceedings of the IS&T’s 47th Annual Conference. The Physics and Chemistry of Imaging Systems, 810, 1994.
METAL OXIDE SEMICONDUCTORS
“The Effect of pH on the Viscosity of Titanium Dioxide Aqueous Dispersions with Dicarboxylic Acids”,
Johnson ; Abby M., Trakhtenberg , Sofia; Cannon, Amy S.; Warner, John C. J. Phys. Chem. 2007, 111 8139‐8146.
“The Low Temperature Processing of Titanium Dioxide Films by the Addition of Trimesic Acid”
Cannon, Amy S.; Guarrera, Donna J.; Morelli. Alessandra; Pressler, Whitney; Warner, John C. J. Sol Gel Sci.2005 36 157‐162.
“Structure Activity Relationship of Organic Acids in Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Dispersions”
Cannon, Amy S.; Jian, Tian Ying, Wang, Jun; Warner, John C. Chem. Mater. 2004 16, 5138‐5140.
HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY
“New Synthetic Studies on Deazafolates.”
Taylor, E. C.; Chang, Z. Y.; Harrington, P. M.; Hamby, J. M.; Papadopoulou, M.; Warner, J. C.; Wong, G. S. K.; Yoon, C. M.; Shih, C., Chem. Biol. Pteridines, 1989 Proc. Int. Symp. Pteridines Folic Acid Deriv., 9th, Meeting Date 1989, 987. Ed. by: Curtius, H.‐C.; Ghisla, S.; Blau, N. de Gruyter: Berlin, Fed. Rep. Ger. 1990.
“Synthesis and Competitive Thermal Reactions of 3‐[2’‐(2‐Propynylthio)‐ phenylamino]‐1,2,4‐triazines.”
Taylor, E. C.; Pont, J. L.; Warner, J. C., J. Org. Chem., 1989, 54, 1456.
“Competitive Intramolecular Diels‐Alder Reaction and Intramolecular Coplanar Cycloamination of 3‐(3‐Butynylthio)‐1,2,4‐triazin‐5‐ones.”
Taylor, E. C.; Pont, J. L.; Van Engen, D.; Warner, J. C., J. Org. Chem., 1988, 53, 5093.
“Synthesis of 2‐Amino‐6,7‐Dihydrothieno[3,2‐g]‐5‐deazapterin.”
Taylor, E. C.; Pont, J. L.; Warner, J. C., J. Het. Chem., 1988, 25, 1733.
“Diels‐Alder Reactions of 6‐Azapterins. An Alternate Strategy for the Synthesis of 5,10 Dideaza‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydrofolic Acid (DDATHF).”
Taylor, E. C.; Harrington, P. M.; Warner, J. C., Heterocycles, 1988, 27, 1925.
“Diels‐Alder Reactions of 7‐Azalumazines. Synthesis of Condensed Lumazines and 8‐Deazalumazines”
Taylor, E. C.; Warner, J. C.; Pont, J. L., J. Org. Chem., 1988, 53, 3568.
“Intramolecular Diels‐Alder Reactions of 6‐Azalumazines and 6‐Azapterins. A Facile Route to 6,7‐Annulated‐5‐deazapteridines.”
Taylor, E. C.; Warner, J. C.; Pont, J. L., J. Org. Chem., 1988, 53, 800.
“Heterodienophilic Intramolecular Diels‐Alder Reactions of 1,2,4‐Triazines. Synthesis of Novel Polycyclic Condensed Pyrazines and Lumazines.”
Taylor, E. C.; Pont, J. L.; Warner, J. C., Tetrahedron.; 1987, 43, 5159, 1988, 44, 1825.
“Synthesis and Structural Confirmation of 5,6‐Cyclopenteno‐5‐deazapterin.”
Taylor, E. C.; Warner, J. C., Heterocycles, 1987, 26, 2673.
“Diels‐Alder Reactions of Bicyclic 1,2,4‐Triazines: The Conversion of Pyrimido[4,5‐e]‐1,2,4‐triazines to Pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidines.”
Taylor, E. C.; McDaniel, K. F.; Warner, J. C. Tetrahedron Lett., 1987, 28, 1977.
“Benzoyl Phenyl 1‐Methylpyrazoles. Synthesis, Characterization, and Spectra.”
Kano, K.; Scarpetti, D.; Warner, J. C.; Anselme, J.‐ P.; Springer, J. P.; Arison, B. H. Can. J. Chem., 1986, 64, 2211.
“Pyridopyrimidines.” Warner, John C. in “Miscellaneous Fused Pyrimidines”T. Delia, Ed. Part IV, vol. 24, John Wiley, New York 1992.
N‐NITROSAMINE CHEMISTRY
“N‐Nitrosamines from the Reaction of Sulfamoyl Chlorides with Sodium Nitrite.”
Warner, J. C.; Nakajima, M.; Anselme, J.‐P. Bull. Soc. Chim. Belges, 1984, 93, 919.
“N‐Nitrosamines via the Phase‐Transfer mediated Nitrosation of Secondary Amines with Sodium Nitrite and N‐Haloamides.”
Nakajima, M.; Warner, J. C.; Anselme, J.‐P. Tetrahedron Lett., 1984, 25, 2619.
“N‐Nitrosamines from the Reaction of N‐Chlorodialkylamines with Sodium Nitrite.”
Nakajima, M.; Warner, J. C.; Anselme, J. P. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1984, 451.
MISCELLANEOUS
“Photocatalysis of Electron Transfer Reactions by C60 Adducts.”
Hamann, Thomas W.; Bussandri, Alejandro P.; Van Willigen, Hans; Najah, Samira; Warner, John C. Proceedings – Electrochemical Society 2000, (Fullerenes: Volume 8: Electrochemistry and Photochemistry), 289‐298.
“Lithographically patterned superconductor bolometer detectors for visible and near‐infrared radiation incorporatingwavelength‐selective light‐absorbing elements.”
Eames, Sara J.; Yoo, J. Seung‐Jin; Warner, John C.; Neikirk, Dean P.; McDevitt, John Thomas. Proc. SPIE‐Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 3790(Engineered Nanostructural Films and Materials), 160‐168, 1999.
“A Four Color Optical Sensor: Wavelength‐Selective Dye/Superconductor Assemblies”;
Eames, S.; Savoy, S.; Wells, C.; Zhao, J.; Warner. J. C.; McDevitt, J.in Spectroscopy of Superconducting Materials, E. Faulques, Ed.,ACS Books, US, 1999, 278‐2
“Turbulent Flow Liquid Chromatography”
Quinn, Hubert M.; Takarewski, Joseph J.; Warner, John C. American Laboratories, September 1998.
“Radical Reactions of Azo, Hydrazo and Azoxy Compounds.”
Koga, Gen; Warner, John C.; Anselme, J.‐P., in “The Chemistry of Functional Groups. Vol 2” S. Patai, Ed., John Wiley, New York. pp 603‐645. 1997.
THESES
“Deazafolates”
Warner, John C., PhD Dissertation, Princeton University, 1988.
“The Chemistry of N‐Nitrosamines”
Warner, John C., B.S. Undergraduate Thesis, University of Massachusetts Boston, 1984.