Lauri Vaska ( born Lauri Vaska ; May 7, 1925 in Rakvere , Estonia - November 15, 2015) is an American chemist of Estonian origin who made a significant contribution to organometallic chemistry .
| Lauri Vaska | |
|---|---|
| Lauri vaska | |
| Date of Birth | |
| Place of Birth | |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
| Citizenship |  USA |
| Occupation | Chemist |
| Awards and prizes | Boris Pregel Prize (1971) |
Content
Biography
In 1946 he entered the Baltic University in Hamburg ( Germany ), after which he studied at the University of Gottingen for three years (1946-1949) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He received his doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of Texas while he was in the United States (1952-1956). Working as a research fellow at Northwestern University (1956-1957), he conducted research in the field of magnetochemistry. In 1957, Lauri Vaska was admitted in the same capacity to the Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh , where he worked until 1964. At that time, a galaxy of brilliant scientists such as Paul Lauterbur or R. Bruce King worked at the Mellon Institute. In the mid-60s, Vaska moved to Clarkson University in Potsdam ( New York State ), where he has been an honorary professor of chemistry since 1990.
Research
During his scientific career, he wrote and published at least eighty scientific articles in journals on the chemistry of complex compounds of transition metals , homogeneous catalysis, as well as articles related to both the field of organic and bio- inorganic chemistry . The period of his work at the Mellon Institute was particularly fruitful. Together with Dr. Di Luzio in 1962, Vaska first described the iridium compound, which is now known as the Vaska Complex, trans-IrCl (CO) [P (C 6 H 5 ) 3] 2 . Together with a number of other scientists, he was able to demonstrate that a number of reactions with small molecules occur in this compound. For example, it can add H 2 by oxidation to make a dihydride. Vaska subsequently discovered that his complex has a reversible O 2 bond. Lauri discovered the main oxidative addition reactions, which are the main ones in the process of homogeneous catalysis in organometallic chemistry.
Recognition
Although the work of Vask was recognized, it could not be compared with his contribution to science. Among the awards he was awarded were the Boris Pregel Prize for Research in Chemical Physics ( New York Academy of Sciences ) and his election in 1981 as a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for "pioneering activities in the field of organometallic chemistry of transition metals and synthetic oxidizing agents" .
Notes
- ↑ German National Library , Berlin State Library , Bavarian State Library , etc. Record # 132208024 // General regulatory control (GND) - 2012—2016.
- ↑ 1 2 http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailyrecord/obituary.aspx?n=lauri-vaska&pid=176541866&fhid=17074
Links
- biography (in Estonian)