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Jacobus van 't Hoff

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, Jr.
Jacobus van 't Hoff by Perscheid 1904.jpg
van 't Hoff by Nicola Perscheid in 1904
Born (1852-08-30)30 August 1852
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died 1 March 1911(1911-03-01) (aged 58)
Steglitz near Berlin, German Empire
Residence Netherlands
German Empire
Nationality Dutch
Fields Physical chemistry
Organic chemistry
Theoretical chemistry
Institutions
Alma mater
Doctoral advisor Eduard Mulder
Doctoral students Ernst Cohen
Other notable students Frederick G. Donnan
Known for
Notable awards

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, Jr. (Dutch pronunciation: [vɑn(ə)t ˈɦɔf]; 30 August 1852 – 1 March 1911) was a Dutch physical chemist. A highly influential theoretical chemist of his time, van 't Hoff was the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His pioneering work helped found the modern theory of chemical affinity, chemical equilibrium, chemical kinetics, and chemical thermodynamics. In his 1874 pamphlet Van't Hoff formulated the theory of the tetrahedral carbon atom and laid the foundations of stereochemistry. In 1875 he predicted the correct structures of allenes and cumulenes as well as their axial chirality. He is also widely considered one of the founders of physical chemistry as the discipline is known today.

The third of seven children, Van 't Hoff was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 30 August 1852. His father was Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, Sr., a physician, and his mother was Alida Kolff van 't Hoff. From a young age, he was interested in science and nature, and frequently took part in botanical excursions. In his early school years, he showed a strong interest in poetry and philosophy. He considered Lord Byron to be his idol.

Against the wishes of his father, Van 't Hoff chose to study chemistry. First, he enrolled at Delft University of Technology in September 1869, and studied until 1871, when he passed his final exam on at 8 July and obtained a degree of chemical technologist. He passed all his courses in two years, although the time assigned to study was three years. Then he enrolled at University of Leiden to study chemistry. He then studied in Bonn, Germany, with Friedrich Kekulé and in Paris with C. A. Wurtz. He received his doctorate under Eduard Mulder at the University of Utrecht in 1874.


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