August Wilhelm von Hofmann
| August Wilhelm von Hofmann | |
|---|---|
August Wilhelm von Hofmann
|
|
| Born |
8 April 1818 Giessen, Grand Duchy of Hesse |
| Died | 5 May 1892 (aged 74) Berlin, Province of Brandenburg |
| Residence | Germany England |
| Nationality | German |
| Fields | Organic chemistry |
| Institutions |
University of Bonn Royal College of Chemistry Berlin University |
| Alma mater | University of Giessen |
| Doctoral advisor | Justus von Liebig |
| Doctoral students |
Richard Abegg Adolf Pinner Fritz Haber Karl Friedrich von Auwers Rudolf Hugo Nietzki Ferdinand Tiemann Eugen Bamberger |
| Known for |
Hofmann rearrangement Hofmann elimination Hofmann-Löffler reaction |
| Influenced | William Henry Perkin |
| Notable awards |
Royal Medal (1854) Copley Medal (1875) Albert Medal (1881) |
| Spouse | Helene Moldenhauer (12 August 1846), Rosamond Wilson (13 December 1856), Elise Moldenhauer (May 19, 1866), Bertha Tiemann (August 11, 1873) |
August Wilhelm von Hofmann (8 April 1818 – 5 May 1892) was a German chemist. After studying under Justus von Liebig at the University of Giessen, Hofmann became the first director of the Royal College of Chemistry in London, in 1845. In 1865 he returned to Germany to accept a position at the University of Berlin as a teacher and researcher. After his return he co-founded the German Chemical Society (Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft) (1867). In both London and Berlin, Hofmann recreated the style of laboratory instruction established by Liebig at Giessen, fostering a school of chemistry focused on experimental organic chemistry and its industrial applications.
He made considerable contributions to organic chemistry. His research on aniline helped lay the basis of the aniline-dye industry. His earliest research on coal tar laid the groundwork for his student Charles Mansfield's practical methods for extracting benzene and toluene and converting them into nitro compounds and amines. Hofmann prepared three ethylamines and tetraethylammonium compounds and established their structural relationship to ammonia. His discoveries include formaldehyde, hydrazobenzene, the isonitriles, and allyl alcohol. His name is associated with the Hofmann voltameter and with a number of processes which he investigated, including the Hofmann rearrangement, the Hofmann–Martius rearrangement, Hofmann elimination, and the Hofmann-Löffler reaction.
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