Alfred Wohl: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|German chemist (1863–1939)}} |
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{{Infobox_Scientist |
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{{Infobox scientist |
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|name = Alfred Wohl |
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|name = Alfred Wohl |
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|image = Alfred Wohl Danzig.jpg |
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|caption = |
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|birth_date = {{birth date|1863|10|3}} |
|birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1863|10|3}} |
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|birth_place = [[Graudenz]], [[West Prussia]], [[Prussia]] |
|birth_place = [[Graudenz]], [[West Prussia]], [[Prussia]] |
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|residence = |
|residence = |
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|nationality = |
|nationality = |
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|death_date = {{death date and age|1939|12|25|1863|10|3}} |
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1939|12|25|1863|10|3}} |
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|death_place = [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] |
|death_place = [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] |
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|field = |
|field = |
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|work_institution = [[University of Berlin]], <br/> [[ |
|work_institution = [[University of Berlin]], <br/> [[Technische Hochschule Danzig]] |
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|alma_mater = |
|alma_mater = [[University of Heidelberg]] |
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|doctoral_advisor = |
|doctoral_advisor = [[August Wilhelm von Hofmann]] |
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|doctoral_students = |
|doctoral_students = |
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|known_for |
|known_for = [[Wohl degradation]], <br/>[[Wohl–Aue reaction]], <br/>[[Wohl–Ziegler reaction]] |
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'''Alfred Wohl''' |
'''Alfred Wohl''' (3 October 1863 – 25 December 1939) was a German [[chemist]]. Several chemical reactions are named after him, including the [[Wohl degradation]], [[Wohl–Aue reaction]] and the [[Wohl–Ziegler reaction]]. |
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Several chemical reactions are named after him, including the [[Wohl degradation]], [[Wohl-Aue reaction]] and the [[Wohl-Ziegler reaction]]. |
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==Life |
==Life== |
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Wohl studied chemistry at the [[University of Heidelberg]] from 1882 until 1886. He received his Ph.D 1886 for work on [[Hexamethylenetetramine]] with [[August Wilhelm von Hofmann]]. He became an assistant of [[Hermann Emil Fischer]] at the [[University of Berlin]] from 1886 until 1891, where he also received his [[habilitation]]. He became professor at the University of Berlin in 1901, but he left for the [[ |
Wohl studied chemistry at the [[University of Heidelberg]] from 1882 until 1886. He received his Ph.D 1886 for work on [[Hexamethylenetetramine]] with [[August Wilhelm von Hofmann]]. He became an assistant of [[Hermann Emil Fischer]] at the [[University of Berlin]] from 1886 until 1891, where he also received his [[habilitation]]. He became professor at the University of Berlin in 1901, but he left for the [[Technische Hochschule Danzig]] in 1904. He retired because of antisemitic pressure in 1933, but worked in his lab until 1937. He emigrated to Sweden in 1938, where he died in 1939. |
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His son Kurt Wohl (1896–1962) – who also became a renowned chemical scientist – emigrated to Great Britain in 1939 and some years later to the United States.<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236235461_Kurt_Wohl_-_His_Life_and_Work Kurt Wohl – His Life and Work] www.researchgate.net, January 2003</ref> |
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==Work== |
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His work in organic chemistry started with his PhD thesis on [[hexamine]] in 1886. Under the influence of Fischer, Wohl focused on sugar chemistry. Wohl arbitrarily defined the structure of (+)-glyceraldehyde to have the D-configuration, forming the basis for the D-L system. This was done before chemists had the ability to prove (+)-glyceraldehyde was, in fact, <small>D</small>-glyceraldehyde. Before the invention of [[x-ray crystallography]] the exact determination of the configuration at a chiral carbon atom was impossible. |
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{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" |
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|align="center"| '''<small>D</small>-glyceraldehyde'''<br> |
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|align="center"| '''<small>L</small>-glyceraldehyde'''<br> |
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|align="center"| [[Image:D-Glyceraldehyde 2D Fischer.svg|87px|D-glyceraldehyde]] |
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|align="center"| [[Image:L-Glyceraldehyde 2D Fischer.svg|100px|L-glyceraldehyde]] |
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|} |
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With this starting point, all related chiral compounds could be chemically transformed into (−)- or (+)-glyceraldehyde. By employing only chemical transformations with retention of stereochemical configuration, such an unknown chiral compound could be assigned either a <small>D</small>- or an <small>L</small>-configuration. |
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The use of [[vanadium pentoxide]] for the catalytic oxidation with air of various substances became his most profitable invention. Similar catalysts are still used for the oxidation of [[naphthalene]], [[anthraquinone]] and for the production of [[sulfuric acid]] from [[sulfur dioxide]]. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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*{{cite journal |
*{{cite journal |
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| title = [[Otto Ruff]] und Alfred Wohl. Professoren der 1904 gegründeten Königlichen Technischen Hochschule zu Danzig |
| title = [[Otto Ruff]] und Alfred Wohl. Professoren der 1904 gegründeten Königlichen Technischen Hochschule zu Danzig |
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| author = Teresa Sokolowska, Romuald Piosik |
| author = Teresa Sokolowska, Romuald Piosik |
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| url = |
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| doi = 10.1002/ckon.200410006 }} |
| doi = 10.1002/ckon.200410006 }} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wohl}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wohl}} |
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[[Category:1863 births]] |
[[Category:1863 births]] |
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[[Category:1939 deaths]] |
[[Category:1939 deaths]] |
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[[Category:German chemists]] |
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[[Category:People from Grudziądz]] |
[[Category:People from Grudziądz]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Scientists from the Province of Prussia]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:19th-century German chemists]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:20th-century German chemists]] |
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[[Category:Heidelberg University alumni]] |
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[[Category:Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin]] |
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{{Germany-chemist-stub}} |
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[[Category:Academic staff of the Gdańsk University of Technology]] |
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[[Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to Sweden]] |
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[[de:Alfred Wohl]] |
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[[pl:Alfred Wohl]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:10, 5 August 2024
Alfred Wohl | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 3 October 1863 |
| Died | 25 December 1939 (aged 76) |
| Alma mater | University of Heidelberg |
| Known for | Wohl degradation, Wohl–Aue reaction, Wohl–Ziegler reaction |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Berlin, Technische Hochschule Danzig |
| Doctoral advisor | August Wilhelm von Hofmann |
Alfred Wohl (3 October 1863 – 25 December 1939) was a German chemist. Several chemical reactions are named after him, including the Wohl degradation, Wohl–Aue reaction and the Wohl–Ziegler reaction.
Life
[edit]Wohl studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg from 1882 until 1886. He received his Ph.D 1886 for work on Hexamethylenetetramine with August Wilhelm von Hofmann. He became an assistant of Hermann Emil Fischer at the University of Berlin from 1886 until 1891, where he also received his habilitation. He became professor at the University of Berlin in 1901, but he left for the Technische Hochschule Danzig in 1904. He retired because of antisemitic pressure in 1933, but worked in his lab until 1937. He emigrated to Sweden in 1938, where he died in 1939.
His son Kurt Wohl (1896–1962) – who also became a renowned chemical scientist – emigrated to Great Britain in 1939 and some years later to the United States.[1]
Work
[edit]His work in organic chemistry started with his PhD thesis on hexamine in 1886. Under the influence of Fischer, Wohl focused on sugar chemistry. Wohl arbitrarily defined the structure of (+)-glyceraldehyde to have the D-configuration, forming the basis for the D-L system. This was done before chemists had the ability to prove (+)-glyceraldehyde was, in fact, D-glyceraldehyde. Before the invention of x-ray crystallography the exact determination of the configuration at a chiral carbon atom was impossible.
| D-glyceraldehyde |
L-glyceraldehyde |
|
|
With this starting point, all related chiral compounds could be chemically transformed into (−)- or (+)-glyceraldehyde. By employing only chemical transformations with retention of stereochemical configuration, such an unknown chiral compound could be assigned either a D- or an L-configuration.
The use of vanadium pentoxide for the catalytic oxidation with air of various substances became his most profitable invention. Similar catalysts are still used for the oxidation of naphthalene, anthraquinone and for the production of sulfuric acid from sulfur dioxide.
References
[edit]- ^ Kurt Wohl – His Life and Work www.researchgate.net, January 2003
- Teresa Sokolowska, Romuald Piosik (2004). "Otto Ruff und Alfred Wohl. Professoren der 1904 gegründeten Königlichen Technischen Hochschule zu Danzig". Chemkon. 11 (2): 76–78. doi:10.1002/ckon.200410006.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
- 1863 births
- 1939 deaths
- People from Grudziądz
- Scientists from the Province of Prussia
- 19th-century German chemists
- 20th-century German chemists
- Heidelberg University alumni
- Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin
- Academic staff of the Gdańsk University of Technology
- Emigrants from Nazi Germany to Sweden