Ludwig Gattermann (20 April 1860 – 20 June 1920) was a German
chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe t ...
who contributed significantly to both
organic and
inorganic chemistry.
Early life
Ludwig Gatterman was born on 20 April 1860 in
Goslar
Goslar (; Eastphalian: ''Goslär'') is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines ...
, an old mining town north of the
Harz
The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...
mountains. Two of his three siblings died at a young age.
During his time in the
Realschule
''Realschule'' () is a type of secondary school in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia (''realna gimnazija''), the Austrian Empire, the German Empire, Denmark and Norway (''realskole''), Sweden (''realskola''), ...
he started experimenting. In 1880, he wanted to study at the
University of Leipzig
Leipzig University (german: Universität Leipzig), in Leipzig in Saxony, Germany, is one of the world's oldest universities and the second-oldest university (by consecutive years of existence) in Germany. The university was founded on 2 Decemb ...
, but he had to complete his
compulsory military service
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
before he could start. He started his studies in 1881. After one year with
Robert Bunsen
Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen (;
30 March 1811
– 16 August 1899) was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium (in 1860) and rubidium (in 1861) with the physicist Gustav Kirchhoff. The Bu ...
at the University of Leipzig, he visited
Liebermann for one semester at the
University of Berlin
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative ...
to improve his skills in organic chemistry. Gattermann chose the
University of Göttingen
The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen, (german: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, known informally as Georgia Augusta) is a public research university in the city of Göttingen, Germany. Founded ...
, which was close to Goslar for his further studies.
He started his thesis under the supervision of
Hans Hübner, who died in 1884, and finished his Ph.D. in 1885. As successor of Hans Hübner,
Victor Meyer
Viktor Meyer (8 September 18488 August 1897) was a German chemist and significant contributor to both organic and inorganic chemistry. He is best known for inventing an apparatus for determining vapour densities, the Viktor Meyer apparatus, and f ...
came to Göttingen and some renowned chemists worked as assistants in his group, which consisted of
Rudolf Leuckart
Karl Georg Friedrich Rudolf Leuckart (7 October 1822 – 22 February 1898) was a German zoologist born in Helmstedt. He was a nephew to naturalist Friedrich Sigismund Leuckart (1794–1843).
Academic career
He earned his degree from the Uni ...
,
Emil Knoevenagel,
Traugott Sandmeyer and
Karl von Auwers.
His private life in Heidelberg and Freiburg was overshadowed by his problematic 25-year-long marriage which was divorced. Gattermann had one daughter who cared for him during his illness which caused his death on 20 June 1920.
Career
Göttingen
During his time as assistant of
Victor Meyer
Viktor Meyer (8 September 18488 August 1897) was a German chemist and significant contributor to both organic and inorganic chemistry. He is best known for inventing an apparatus for determining vapour densities, the Viktor Meyer apparatus, and f ...
in Göttingen, Victor Meyer established a cooperation with the dyes company of Friedr. Bayer & Co., later known as
Bayer AG
Bayer AG (, commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer's areas of business include pharmaceutica ...
, and especially with the chief chemist
Carl Duisberg
Friedrich Carl Duisberg (29 September 1861 – 19 March 1935) was a German chemist and industrialist.
Life
Duisberg was born in Barmen, Germany. From 1879 to 1882, he studied at the Georg August University of Göttingen and Friedrich Schiller Un ...
starting in 1888 and working perfectly for 32 years, which gave Gatterman an insight into industrial chemistry and provided him with access to chemical compounds produced by Bayer.
Heidelberg
He followed Victor Meyer, who succeeded Robert Bunsen, to the
University of Heidelberg
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
in 1889.
Gattermann conducted the practical education of the students in the laboratory for several years, till the suicide of Victor Meyer. He stayed with the successor of Meyer,
Theodor Curtius
''Geheimrat'' Julius Wilhelm Theodor Curtius (27 May 1857 – 8 February 1928) was professor of Chemistry at Heidelberg University and elsewhere. He published the Curtius rearrangement in 1890/1894 and also discovered diazoacetic acid, hydra ...
, for two further years until 1900 in Heidelberg.
Freiburg
Gattermann became professor at the
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemb ...
in 1900. He improved the educational situation and was mainly involved in organisation and teaching. The results of his personal research get sparse and most of the publications come from his PhD students.
Research
His dangerous analysis of the highly explosive
nitrogen trichloride in 1887 showed his excellent abilities in the laboratory. His nickname "der Heros" was coined after an English article title a hero of science reporting about nitrogen trichloride.
The production of boron and silicon by the reaction with magnesium yielded amorphous powders which were more reactive and easier to handle than the substances.
The improved Sandmeyer reaction using metallic copper as catalyst, and the discovery of the reaction of
hydrocyanic acid
Hydrogen cyanide, sometimes called prussic acid, is a chemical compound with the formula HCN and structure . It is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature, at . HCN is produced on an in ...
with an aromatic compound now called the
Gatterman reaction
The Gattermann reaction, (also known as the Gattermann formylation and the Gattermann salicylaldehyde synthesis) is a chemical reaction in which aromatic compounds are formylated by a mixture of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and hydrogen chloride (HCl ...
were achieved during his time in Heidelberg.
He also conducted research in inorganic chemistry. Gatterman synthesized and characterized Si
2Cl
6, Si
3Cl
8 and also the selfigniting P
2H
4.
His fearless nature towards the highly toxic
hydrocyanic acid
Hydrogen cyanide, sometimes called prussic acid, is a chemical compound with the formula HCN and structure . It is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature, at . HCN is produced on an in ...
can be best be shown by a quotation from him: If you are used to handling the substance it is no worse than handling alcohol.
His Book
His book about practical work in the laboratory became a standard textbook of organic synthesis at almost every German university. In some universities the organic course is still called ''"Gattermann"''.
Gattermann Vorlesung
/ref>
Digital edition: "Die Praxis des organischen Chemikers" 2nd ed. 1896
"Die Praxis des organischen Chemikers" 15th ed. 1920
by the University and State Library Düsseldorf)
His book is mentioned in Primo Levi
Primo Michele Levi (; 31 July 1919 – 11 April 1987) was an Italian chemist, partisan, writer, and Jewish Holocaust survivor. He was the author of several books, collections of short stories, essays, poems and one novel. His best-known works ...
's autobiography ''If This Is a Man
''If This Is a Man'' ( it, Se questo è un uomo ; United States title: ''Survival in Auschwitz'') is a memoir by Italian Jewish writer Primo Levi, first published in 1947. It describes his arrest as a member of the Italian anti-fascist resis ...
'' when it came up in discussion during Levi's chemist interview at Buna synthetic rubber factory at Auschwitz during the Holocaust.
Further Works
* ''Tabelle zur Berechnung der volumetrischen Stickstoff-Bestimmungen'' . Veit, Leipzig 190
Digital edition
by the University and State Library Düsseldorf
References
*
*
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gattermann, Ludwig
1860 births
1920 deaths
19th-century German chemists
University of Göttingen alumni
University of Göttingen faculty
People from Goslar
People from the Province of Hanover
Leipzig University alumni
Humboldt University of Berlin alumni
University of Freiburg faculty
20th-century German chemists