Friedrich Konrad Beilstein
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Konrad Beilstein (17 February 1838 – 18 October 1906), Russian name "Бейльштейн, Фёдор Фёдорович", was a chemist and founder of the famous Handbuch der organischen Chemie (Handbook of Organic Chemistry). The first edition of this work, published in 1881, covered 1,500 compounds in 2,200 pages. This handbook is now known as the Beilstein database
.
in a family of German descent. Although he mastered Russian language, he was educated in a German school. At the age of 15, he left for University of Heidelberg where he studied chemistry under the tuition of Robert Bunsen
. After two years he moved to the University of Munich and became a pupil of Justus Liebig, but soon returned to Heidelberg. There he acquired the interest and preference for organic chemistry
, which became his major. For his Ph.D., Beilstein joined Friedrich Wöhler
at the Georg-August University of Göttingen
, receiving his doctorate in February 1858, two days before his twentieth birthday. To increase his skill and experience he went to Paris to work with Adolphe Wurtz and Charles Friedel
. In autumn of 1859, he accepted an invitation for a post of laboratory assistant at the University of Breslau offered to him by Carl Jacob Löwig
, but soon changed it for Gottingen. There he became privatdocent and lectured in organic chemistry. In 1865 he received a title of "professor extraordinarius". In addition, he became editor of the journal the Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie.
His research in that time was focused on the isomer
ism of the derivatives of the benzene
series. In particular, he discovered the relations between chlorotoluene
and benzyl chloride
. In Göttingen Beilstein began to collect the systematic notes on organic compounds which finally led to the production of his famous handbook published in Hamburg. The first edition, which Beilstein compiled single-handedly, appeared in 1881 in two volumes, and was rapidly exhausted. The second edition began to appear in 1886 and filled three volumes of larger size than the first. The third edition was commenced in 1893, and its four volumes became unwieldy. It was finished in 1900, and has been supplemented by four large volumes of additions edited by the German Chemical Society, which became the proprietor of the handbook.
In 1866 Beilstein returned to St. Petersburg where he became professor of chemistry at the Imperial Technological Institute. There he continued his research on isomerism of the
aromatic series. In 1881 Beilstein became a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
, a position associated with a good income, a private dwelling and a laboratory. Leicester points out that Beilstein had favored the election of Dmitri Mendeleev
, but the latter candidacy never succeeded. Shortly after election Beilstein left professorship for research, compilation of his handbook and his favorite hobby, music. He was also very fond of traveling and was spending several months per year in Europe. Beilstein remained a bachelor all his life, but adopted a daughter who was his companion in later years. He died suddenly, of apoplectic attack
in 1906.
Beilstein database
The Beilstein database is the largest database in the field of organic chemistry, in which compounds are uniquely identified by their Beilstein Registry Number. The database covers the scientific literature from 1771 to the present and contains experimentally validated information on millions of...
.
Life
Beilstein was born in Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in a family of German descent. Although he mastered Russian language, he was educated in a German school. At the age of 15, he left for University of Heidelberg where he studied chemistry under the tuition of Robert Bunsen
Robert Bunsen
Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium and rubidium with Gustav Kirchhoff. Bunsen developed several gas-analytical methods, was a pioneer in photochemistry, and did early work in the field of organoarsenic...
. After two years he moved to the University of Munich and became a pupil of Justus Liebig, but soon returned to Heidelberg. There he acquired the interest and preference for organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
, which became his major. For his Ph.D., Beilstein joined Friedrich Wöhler
Friedrich Wöhler
Friedrich Wöhler was a German chemist, best known for his synthesis of urea, but also the first to isolate several chemical elements.-Biography:He was born in Eschersheim, which belonged to aau...
at the Georg-August University of Göttingen
Georg-August University of Göttingen
The University of Göttingen , known informally as Georgia Augusta, is a university in the city of Göttingen, Germany.Founded in 1734 by King George II of Great Britain and the Elector of Hanover, it opened for classes in 1737. The University of Göttingen soon grew in size and popularity...
, receiving his doctorate in February 1858, two days before his twentieth birthday. To increase his skill and experience he went to Paris to work with Adolphe Wurtz and Charles Friedel
Charles Friedel
Charles Friedel was a French chemist and mineralogist. A native of Strasbourg, France, he was a student of Louis Pasteur at the Sorbonne...
. In autumn of 1859, he accepted an invitation for a post of laboratory assistant at the University of Breslau offered to him by Carl Jacob Löwig
Carl Jacob Löwig
Carl Jacob Löwig was a German chemist and discovered bromine independently of Antoine Jérôme Balard.He received his PhD at the University of Heidelberg for his work with Leopold Gmelin....
, but soon changed it for Gottingen. There he became privatdocent and lectured in organic chemistry. In 1865 he received a title of "professor extraordinarius". In addition, he became editor of the journal the Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie.
His research in that time was focused on the isomer
Isomer
In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. Isomers do not necessarily share similar properties, unless they also have the same functional groups. There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical...
ism of the derivatives of the benzene
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6....
series. In particular, he discovered the relations between chlorotoluene
Chlorotoluene
Chlorotoluene can refer to any of four isomeric chemical compounds. Three isomers consisist of a disubsituted benzene ring with one chlorine atom and one methyl group...
and benzyl chloride
Benzyl chloride
Benzyl chloride, or α-chlorotoluene, is an organic compound with the formula C6H5CH2Cl. This colourless liquid is a reactive organochlorine compound that is a widely used chemical building block.-Preparation:...
. In Göttingen Beilstein began to collect the systematic notes on organic compounds which finally led to the production of his famous handbook published in Hamburg. The first edition, which Beilstein compiled single-handedly, appeared in 1881 in two volumes, and was rapidly exhausted. The second edition began to appear in 1886 and filled three volumes of larger size than the first. The third edition was commenced in 1893, and its four volumes became unwieldy. It was finished in 1900, and has been supplemented by four large volumes of additions edited by the German Chemical Society, which became the proprietor of the handbook.
In 1866 Beilstein returned to St. Petersburg where he became professor of chemistry at the Imperial Technological Institute. There he continued his research on isomerism of the
aromatic series. In 1881 Beilstein became a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
, a position associated with a good income, a private dwelling and a laboratory. Leicester points out that Beilstein had favored the election of Dmitri Mendeleev
Dmitri Mendeleev
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev , was a Russian chemist and inventor. He is credited as being the creator of the first version of the periodic table of elements...
, but the latter candidacy never succeeded. Shortly after election Beilstein left professorship for research, compilation of his handbook and his favorite hobby, music. He was also very fond of traveling and was spending several months per year in Europe. Beilstein remained a bachelor all his life, but adopted a daughter who was his companion in later years. He died suddenly, of apoplectic attack
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
in 1906.