Nevil Sidgwick
Encyclopedia
Nevil Vincent Sidgwick was an English
theoretical chemist
who made significant contributions to the theory of valency
and chemical bonding.
After a few years at Rugby School
, Sidgwick pursued undergraduate studies at Christ Church
and a doctorate at the University of Tübingen. He
spent almost his entire career in the city of his birth, becoming a Fellow
of Lincoln College, Oxford
in 1901, and Professor of Chemistry from 1935 to 1945.
Sidgwick became absorbed by the study of atomic structure and its importance in chemical bonding. He explained the bonding in coordination compounds
(complexes), with a convincing account of the significance of the dative bond. Together with his students he demonstrated the existence and wide-ranging importance of the hydrogen bond
.
In 1927 he proposed the inert pair effect
which describes the stability of heavier p-block in an oxidation state two less than the maximum. In 1940 his Bakerian lecture
with Herbert Marcus Powell correlated molecular geometry with the number of valence electrons on a central atom. These ideas were later developed into the VSEPR theory
by Gillespie
and Nyholm
.
His works include The Organic Chemistry of Nitrogen (1910), The Electronic Theory of Valency (1927), Some Physical Properties of the Covalent Link in Chemistry (1933), and the definitive The Chemical Elements and their Compounds (1950).
He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1922.
He died in Oxford on 15 March 1952.
The Sidgwick Laboratory in the Dyson Perrins Laboratory
for organic chemistry and Sidgwick Close in front of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory at Oxford University were named after him.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
theoretical chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
who made significant contributions to the theory of valency
Valence (chemistry)
In chemistry, valence, also known as valency or valence number, is a measure of the number of bonds formed by an atom of a given element. "Valence" can be defined as the number of valence bonds...
and chemical bonding.
After a few years at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, Sidgwick pursued undergraduate studies at Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
and a doctorate at the University of Tübingen. He
spent almost his entire career in the city of his birth, becoming a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
in 1901, and Professor of Chemistry from 1935 to 1945.
Sidgwick became absorbed by the study of atomic structure and its importance in chemical bonding. He explained the bonding in coordination compounds
Complex (chemistry)
In chemistry, a coordination complex or metal complex, is an atom or ion , bonded to a surrounding array of molecules or anions, that are in turn known as ligands or complexing agents...
(complexes), with a convincing account of the significance of the dative bond. Together with his students he demonstrated the existence and wide-ranging importance of the hydrogen bond
Hydrogen bond
A hydrogen bond is the attractive interaction of a hydrogen atom with an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine, that comes from another molecule or chemical group. The hydrogen must be covalently bonded to another electronegative atom to create the bond...
.
In 1927 he proposed the inert pair effect
Inert pair effect
The inert pair effect is the tendency of the outermost s electrons to remain nonionized or unshared in compounds of post-transition metals. The term inert pair effect is often used in relation to the increasing stability of oxidation states that are 2 less than the group valency for the heavier...
which describes the stability of heavier p-block in an oxidation state two less than the maximum. In 1940 his Bakerian lecture
Bakerian Lecture
The Bakerian Lecture is a prize lecture of the Royal Society, a lecture on physical sciences.In 1775 Henry Baker left £100 for a spoken lecture by a Fellow on such part of natural history or experimental philosophy as the Society shall determine....
with Herbert Marcus Powell correlated molecular geometry with the number of valence electrons on a central atom. These ideas were later developed into the VSEPR theory
VSEPR theory
Valence shell electron pair repulsion theory is a model in chemistry used to predict the shape of individual molecules based upon the extent of electron-pair electrostatic repulsion. It is also named Gillespie–Nyholm theory after its two main developers...
by Gillespie
Ronald Gillespie
Ronald James Gillespie, CM , a chemistry professor at McMaster University, specializes in the field of Molecular Geometry in Chemistry. In 2007 he was awarded the Order of Canada....
and Nyholm
Ronald Sydney Nyholm
Sir Ronald Sydney Nyholm was an Australian chemist, born on 29 January 1917 at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, as the fourth in a family of six children. Broken Hill is a mining town whose streets are named after minerals, a fit place for to sire an inorganic chemist. Beryl-and-Sulphide...
.
His works include The Organic Chemistry of Nitrogen (1910), The Electronic Theory of Valency (1927), Some Physical Properties of the Covalent Link in Chemistry (1933), and the definitive The Chemical Elements and their Compounds (1950).
He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1922.
He died in Oxford on 15 March 1952.
The Sidgwick Laboratory in the Dyson Perrins Laboratory
Dyson Perrins Laboratory
The Dyson Perrins Laboratory in the science area of the University of Oxford was the main centre for research into organic chemistry of the University from its foundation in 1916 until its closure as a laboratory in 2003...
for organic chemistry and Sidgwick Close in front of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory at Oxford University were named after him.