Traugott Sandmeyer

Traugott Sandmeyer
Traugott Sandmeyer
Born	September 15, 1854 Wettingen, Switzerland
Died	April 9, 1922(1922-04-09) (aged 67) Zollikon, Switzerland
Residence	Germany, Switzerland
Nationality	Swiss
Institutions	Polytechnikum of Zurich, University of Göttingen
Doctoral advisor	Viktor Meyer, Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch
Known for	Sandmeyer reaction, Sandmeyer isonitrosoacetanilide isatin synthesis, Sandmeyer diphenylurea isatin synthesis

Traugott Sandmeyer (September 15, 1854 – April 9, 1922) was a Swiss chemist after whom the Sandmeyer reaction, which he discovered 1884, was named. He became a professor of organic chemistry, although he never graduated with a degree in chemistry.

Sandmeyer was born as the last of seven children and attended school in Aarau, studying to become a precision mechanic. His friend, J. Gustav Schmidt, studied chemistry at the Polytechnikum of Zurich (ETH), and their cooperation in conducting experiments led to Sandmeyer's close contact with chemistry.

In 1882 Sandmeyer was made a chemistry lecturer at the ETH by Viktor Meyer. Meyer and Sandmeyer collaborated in studying the synthesis of thiophene, which Meyer had discovered earlier. When Meyer moved to the University of Göttingen, Sandmeyer followed, but then returned to Zürich after a year to work with Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch.

Sandmeyer began his career in industry in 1888 with Johann Rudolf Geigy-Merian, who was the owner of the chemical factory J. R. Geigy & Cie (later Ciba Geigy, now Novartis). Sandmeyer was involved in the development of several dyes and invented a new synthesis for indigo.

He also worked on the synthesis of isatin. and several reactions have been named after him: Sandmeyer isonitrosoacetanilide isatin synthesis(1919) and Sandmeyer diphenylurea isatin synthesis(1903).