John Ulric Nef
Encyclopedia
John Ulric Nef was a Swiss-born American chemist and the discoverer of the Nef reaction
.
until 1884. Upon graduation, he joined Adolf von Baeyer
at the University of Munich where he received his Ph.D. in 1887.
He was a Professor
at Purdue University
from 1887 till 1889 and at Clark University
from 1889 till 1892. He spent the rest of his academic career at the University of Chicago
.
His son John Ulric Nef
(1899–1988) became a Professor of Economic History and published several books.
and the papers about divalent carbon (carbene
s) were his major achievements.
Nef reaction
The Nef reaction is an organic reaction describing the acid hydrolysis of a salt of a primary or secondary nitroalkane to an aldehyde or a ketone and nitrous oxide ....
.
Life
His parents emigrated from Switzerland to the United states where Nef studied chemistry at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
until 1884. Upon graduation, he joined Adolf von Baeyer
Adolf von Baeyer
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer was a German chemist who synthesized indigo, and was the 1905 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Born in Berlin, he initially studied mathematics and physics at Berlin University before moving to Heidelberg to study chemistry with Robert Bunsen...
at the University of Munich where he received his Ph.D. in 1887.
He was a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1887 till 1889 and at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
from 1889 till 1892. He spent the rest of his academic career at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
His son John Ulric Nef
John Ulric Nef (economic historian)
John Ulric Nef was an American economic historian, and the co-founder of the University of Chicago's Committee on Social Thought. He was associated with the University of Chicago for over half a century, and co-founded the Committee there in 1941.-Early life:Nef was born in 1899. He was a native...
(1899–1988) became a Professor of Economic History and published several books.
Work
The discovery of the Nef reactionNef reaction
The Nef reaction is an organic reaction describing the acid hydrolysis of a salt of a primary or secondary nitroalkane to an aldehyde or a ketone and nitrous oxide ....
and the papers about divalent carbon (carbene
Carbene
In chemistry, a carbene is a molecule containing a neutral carbon atom with a valence of two and two unshared valence electrons. The general formula is RR'C:, but the carbon can instead be double-bonded to one group. The term "carbene" may also merely refer to the compound H2C:, also called...
s) were his major achievements.