Butlerov Alexander Mikhailovich, short biography which appears in almost all chemistry textbooks, is a famous Russian chemist, the founder of the scientific school organic chemistry, founder of the theory of structure organic matter, who predicted and explained the isomerism of large numbers organic compounds and synthesized some of them (urotropine, formaldehyde polymer, etc.). Also, Alexander Mikhailovich, whose contribution to science was highly appreciated by D.I. Mendeleev, wrote works on beekeeping and agriculture.
Butlerov Alexander Mikhailovich: short biography
The future scientist was born on September 15, 1828 in the family of a former military man, at that time a landowner. His father Mikhail Vasilyevich participated in the War of 1812, and after retirement he lived with his family in the family village of Butlerovka. Mom, Sofya Alexandrovna, died at the age of 19, immediately after the birth of her child. Alexander spent his childhood in Butlerovka and his grandfather’s estate - the village of Podlesnaya Shantala, where he was raised by his aunts. At the age of 10, the boy was sent to a private boarding school, where he mastered French and German languages. In 1842, after a terrible fire in Kazan, the boarding school was closed, and Sasha was transferred to the 1st Kazan gymnasium. In these educational institutions Butlerov collected insects and plants, was very interested in chemistry and conducted his first experiments. The result of one of them was an explosion, and Alexander’s punishment for what he had done was imprisonment in a punishment cell with a plaque on his chest reading “The Great Chemist.”
Student years
In 1844, Butlerov A.M., whose biography is permeated with a love of chemistry, became a student at Kazan University, which at that time was the center of natural sciences. scientific research. At first, the young man became very interested in zoology and botany, but then his interest, under the influence of lectures by K. K. Klaus and N. N. Zinin, spread to chemistry. On their advice, the young man organized a home laboratory, but the topic of his thesis, perhaps due to Zinin’s move to St. Petersburg, was butterflies.
After graduating from the university in 1849, Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov, who was petitioned by N.I. Lobachevsky and K.K. Klaus, devoted himself to teaching and lectured on physical geography, physics and chemistry. Moreover, Alexander Mikhailovich was an excellent speaker, able to command the undivided attention of the audience thanks to the clarity and rigor of his presentation. In addition to lectures within the university, Butlerov gave lectures available to the public. The Kazan public sometimes preferred these performances to fashionable theatrical productions. He received his master's degree in 1851, and in the same year he married Nadezhda Mikhailovna Glumilina, the niece of Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov. After 3 years, he defended his doctoral dissertation at Moscow University on the topic “About Essential Oils.” After this, he was elected extraordinary at Kazan University, and a few years later ordinary professor of chemistry. From 1860 to 1863, he was rector twice against his own will, and the rectorship occurred during a rather difficult period in the history of the university: the Kurta memorial service and the Bezdnensky unrest, which affected students and faculty.
Trip to Europe
Alexander Mikhailovich actively participated in the activities of the economic society of the city of Kazan, published articles on agriculture, botany and floriculture. The biography of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov includes three trips abroad, the first of which took place in 1857-1858. The Russian scientist visited Europe, where he visited chemical industry enterprises and became acquainted with leading chemical laboratories. In one of them, in Paris, he worked for almost six months. During the same period, Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov listened to lectures by such outstanding European minds as A. Becquerel, E. Mitscherlich, J. Liebig, R. V. Bunsen, and made acquaintance with Friedrich August Kekule, a German chemist.
Upon returning to Kazan, A.M. Butlerov, whose biography is of interest not only in Russia but also abroad, re-equipped the chemical laboratory and continued the research on methylene derivatives begun by Wurtz. In 1858, the scientist discovered new way synthesizing methylene iodide and carried out a number of works related to the extraction of its derivatives. During the synthesis of methylene diacetate, a polymer of formaldehyde was obtained - a saponification product of the substance under study, the result of experiments on which was hexamethylenetetramine and methylenetinate. Thus, Butlerov was the first to produce a complete synthesis of a sugary substance.
Butlerov Alexander Mikhailovich: briefly about the achievements of the scientist
In 1861, Butlerov spoke in Speyer, at the Congress of German Physicians and Naturalists, with a lecture “On the Chemical Structure of Matter,” which was based on his acquaintance with the state of chemistry abroad, an irresistible interest in the fundamentals of chemistry from a theoretical point of view, and his own experiments carried out throughout scientific activity.
His theory, which included ideas about the ability of carbon atoms to form chains by A. Cooper and on the valency of A. Kekule, assumed the chemical structure of molecules, by which the scientist understood the method of connecting atoms with each other depending on a certain amount of chemical force (affinity) inherent in each atom.
Important aspects of Butlerov's theory
The Russian scientist established a close connection between the structure and chemical properties complex organic compound, which was able to explain the isomerism of many of them, including three pentanes, two isomeric butanes, and various alcohols. Butlerov’s theory also made it possible to predict possible chemical revolutions and explain them.
Thus, in his theory, Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov:
- showed the insufficiency of the theories of chemistry that existed at that time;
- emphasized the most important atomicity;
- defined as the distribution of affinity forces belonging to atoms, as a result of which the atoms, exerting an influence on each other (mediocre or direct), combine into a chemical particle;
- identified 8 rules for the formation of chemical compounds;
- was the first to draw attention to the difference in the reactivity of dissimilar compounds, explained by the lower or higher energy with which atoms combine, as well as the incomplete or complete consumption of affinity units when forming a bond.
Scientific achievements of the Russian chemist
The biography of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov is briefly described in school textbooks, with the dates of his life and his greatest achievements. The Russian scientist has a huge number of experiments aimed at confirming his theory. The scientist, having previously synthesized, determined in 1864 the structure of tertiary in 1866 - isobutane, in 1867 - isobutylene. He also learned the structure of a number of ethylene carbons and polymerized them.
In 1867-1868 Butlerov Alexander Mikhailovich, whose short biography evokes scientists all over the world, was appointed professor of chemistry at St. Petersburg University. Introducing him to the staff of this institution, Mendeleev emphasized the originality of Butlerov’s teaching, which was not a continuation of anyone else’s works, but belonged to him personally.
In 1869, Butlerov finally settled in St. Petersburg, where he was elected extraordinary and then ordinary academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. The period of his life in St. Petersburg was very active: the professor continued his experiments, polished his theory chemical structure, participated in public life.
Hobbies in the life of a scientist
In 1873, he began studying and gave lectures on this topic. Posted first in scientific history a guide based on the theory of chemical structure - “Introduction to a complete study of organic chemistry.” Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov is the founder of the school of Russian chemists, otherwise called the “Butlerov school.” In parallel with the study of chemistry, I was actively interested in agriculture. In particular, he was interested in growing tea in the Caucasus, gardening and beekeeping. His brochures “How to Keep Bees” and “The Bee, Its Life and the Main Rules of Intelligent Beekeeping” were reprinted many times, and in 1886 he founded the magazine “Russian Beekeeping List”.
In 1880-1883 Butlerov Alexander Mikhailovich, whose short biography is interesting and replete with important discoveries for science, was the president of the Russian Physical and Technical Society. During the same period, the scientist became very interested in spiritualism, which he became acquainted with at the Aksakov estate in 1854. Later he became close friends with cousin wife Aksakov A.N., who published the journal on spiritualism “Psychical Research,” and ardently defended his hobby to his acquaintances and friends who condemned him.
The value of the works of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov for chemistry
Alexander Mikhailovich was supposed to retire in 1875, after 25 years of service. The Council of St. Petersburg University twice extended this period by 5 years. The last lecture of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov took place on March 14, 1885. His health failed, undermined by intensive scientific work and social activities: unexpectedly for everyone, Butlerov died on his estate on August 5, 1886. The scientist was buried in the rural cemetery of his native Butlerovka, now defunct, in the family chapel.
Butlerov’s works received worldwide recognition during his lifetime; his scientific school is considered an integral component of the development of chemistry in Russia, and the biography of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov arouses genuine interest among scientists and students. Alexander Mikhailovich himself was a very charming and versatile person with a sociable character, open-mindedness, good nature and a condescending attitude towards his students.
Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov (1828-1886)
Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov was born on August 25, 1828 in the city. Chistopol, Kazan province. In 1849, he graduated from Kazan University, where his teachers were the outstanding Russian chemists K. K. Klaus and N. N. Zinin.
After graduating from the university, Butlerov was left with him to prepare for a professorship and soon beganl lecturing on chemistry. In 1851, Butlerov defended his dissertation on the topic “On the oxidation of organic compounds” and received a master’s degree, and in 1854, after defending his dissertation “On Essential Oils,” he was approved for a doctorate and in the same year was elected professor at Kazan University , where he taught for 20 years.
In May 1868, the council of St. Petersburg University, at the suggestion of Mendeleev, elected Butlerov as an ordinary professor in the department of organic chemistry, after which all his scientific and pedagogical activity took place in St. Petersburg. In 1871, for outstanding scientific achievements, Butlerov was elected extraordinary, and in 1874, ordinary academician.
From the very first steps of his scientific activity, Butlerov proved himself to be a brilliant experimenter and carried out a number ofremarkable syntheses, in particular the synthesis of the first artificially obtained sugar, which he named methylenenitane, and the synthesis of hexamine, which is widely used in medicine.
Butlerov's experimental talent was combined with broad theoretical generalizations and scientific foresight. While still a relatively young scientist, Butlerov expressed deep and bold ideas in the field of theoretical chemistry, for example, on the issue of expressing the structure of molecules and the connections of atoms in them with formulas. While many chemists believed that science would never penetrate into the depth of the structure of a molecule, Butlerov was convinced of the possibility of expressing in formulas the structure of the molecules of organic compounds and, moreover, doing this by studying their chemical transformations.
In 1861, during a business trip abroad, Butlerov spoke at a congress of German naturalists and doctors with a report “On the chemical structure of substances,” which created a new era in the chemistry of organic compounds. Returning to Kazan, he developed the new teaching in detail and, to confirm his theoretical positions, began extensive experimental research, carried out both by himself and by his many students. These works of Butlerov not only led to a number of new, important syntheses, but also confirmed the theory he created, which, under the name of the theory of chemical structure, became the guiding theory of organic chemistry.
Butlerov
The essence of Butlerov’s theory lies in the statement that the properties of substances are determined not only by their qualitative and quantitative composition, as was previously believed, but also the internal structure of molecules, a certain order of connection between the atoms that form the molecule. This internal organization Butlerov called it “chemical structure”.
“The chemical nature of a complex particle,” wrote Butlerov, “is determined by the nature of its elementary constituent parts, their quantity and chemical structure.”
Particularly important was Butlerov’s idea that atoms, combining chemically in a certain sequence in accordance with their valency, mutually influence each other in such a way that their own nature, their “ chemical content" “The same element,” writes Butlerov, “being combined with various other elements, reveals different chemical contents.” For this reason, changes in internal structure molecules naturally lead to the emergence of new qualities.
In 1862-1863 Butlerov writes his wonderful work “Introduction to the complete study of organic chemistry”, in which he contains all the factual material of the organic chemistry based strictly scientific classification, arising from the theory of chemical structure. In terms of the power of thought, scientific depth, clarity of form and saturation with new ideas, Butlerov’s “Introduction” is similar to Mendeleev’s “Fundamentals of Chemistry”. The classification of organic compounds adopted in this book has been preserved in its main features to this day.
Butlerov trained a brilliant galaxy of students who continued to develop his ideas. From his school came such outstanding scientists as V.V. Markovnikov, A.E. Favorsky and many others.
The significance of Butlerov’s works and his outstanding role in the development of science was perfectly described by Mendeleev in his nomination of Butlerov to occupy the department of organic chemistry at St. Petersburg University. "A. M. Butlerov is an ordinary professor at Kazan University, one of the most remarkable Russian scientists. He is Russian both in his scientific education and in the originality of his works. A student of our famous academician N.N. Zinin, he became a chemist not in foreign lands, but in Kazan, where he continues to develop an independent chemical school. The direction of Alexander Mikhailovich's scientific works does not constitute a continuation or development of the ideas of his predecessors, but belongs to him himself. In chemistry there is a Butlerov school, a Butlerov direction.”
Butlerov's doctrine of the chemical structure of molecules is theoretical basis organic chemistry. It allows the chemist to navigate a huge variety of carbon compounds, determine the structure of molecules based on studying themchemical properties, predict the properties of substances based on the structure of molecules, outline ways to synthesize the necessary substances.
More than 90 years have passed since the creation of the theory of chemical structure, but the main provisions of this theory over time not only have not lost their strength, but, on the contrary, have become even stronger and deeper. In particular, modern data on the electronic structure of molecules have fully confirmed all the conclusions obtained on the basis of Butlerov’s teaching. At the same time, the physical meaning of “valence bars” as pairs of electrons common to two bonded atoms was also revealed. This is clearly seen from a comparison of the structural formulas in their usual and electronic expressions.
When using ordinary structural formulas, you should always remember that each “valence line” connecting two atoms represents one shared pair of electrons.
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Russian chemist, creator of the theory of chemical structure and the first Russian school of chemists.
He lost his mother early and from the age of 8 was raised in Topornin’s private boarding school in Kazan.
“Little Butlerov, like all bards, had an uncle. The boy had no idea about chemistry, but he loved fireworks and he liked chemical glassware. The man easily supplied him with the substances and utensils needed to prepare fireworks, and the child enthusiastically indulged in experiments. He mixed sulfur, saltpeter, coal and got gunpowder; he dissolved copper sulfate in a flask and, dipping an iron nail into the blue liquid, saw how it was coated with copper. The boy was not interested in the practical results of the miracles he performed. His imagination was occupied by the process of transformation of substances.
An interesting episode, later told by his boarding house comrade Shevlyakov, dates back to this period of Butlerov’s life:
“Butlerov was diligently fiddling with some flasks, jars, funnels, mysteriously pouring something from one bottle to another. The restless teacher Roland disturbed him in every possible way, often taking away flasks and vials, putting him in a corner or leaving the uninvited chemist without lunch, but he did not let up, taking advantage of the patronage of the physics teacher. Eventually, in the corner, near Butlerov’s bed, a tiny, always locked cabinet filled with some kind of drugs appeared.
One fine spring evening, when the pupils were peacefully and cheerfully playing rounders in the spacious yard, and “frantic Roland” was dozing in the sunny sun, a deafening explosion was heard in the kitchen... Everyone gasped, and Roland, with a tiger’s leap, found himself in the basement where the kitchen. Then the “tiger” appeared in front of us again, mercilessly dragging Butlerov with singed hair and eyebrows, and behind him, with his head hanging, walked a guy brought in as an accomplice, secretly delivering the materials necessary for carrying out the experiments.
To the credit of the Topornin boarding house, it should be noted that rods were never used in this
institution, but since Butlerov’s crime was out of the ordinary, our teachers, at a general council, came up with a new, unprecedented punishment. Two or three times, the criminals were taken out of the dark punishment cell into the common dining room, with a black board on their chest, on the board there was the words “Great Chemist” in large white letters.”
Student A.M. Butlerova - S.V. Lebedev, creator of an industrial method for producing synthetic rubber.
The life and work of Butlerov, a Russian chemist, academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and professor at St. Petersburg University, creator of the theory of chemical structure, is described in this report about the scientist. You can supplement the report on Butlerov.
Butlerov a short message
A short message about his life and work should begin with the fact that he was born on September 15, 1828 in the town of Chistopol into a family of nobles. In 1844 he entered Kazan University, after which his successful scientific career began. 8 years after graduating from the university, Alexander Mikhailovich becomes an ordinary professor and is sent on a business trip abroad. The scientist visited Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, England and the Czech Republic, meeting Western chemists.
It is worth noting that after defending his master’s thesis, Alexander Mikhailovich married Nadezhda Mikhailovna Glumilina, with whom he lived for more than 30 years. The couple had two sons.
Returning home, he began re-equipping his chemical laboratory and carrying out a series of experimental works. In 1861 he developed a theory of chemical structure. What did Butlerov mean by the chemical structure of a substance? The scientist called this a certain order in which atoms are combined into molecules using chemical bonds.
3 years later, the chemist publishes the world's first manual, a monograph entitled "Introduction to the Complete Study of Organic Chemistry", which had a strong influence on the development of chemical science in the world. Having moved to St. Petersburg in 1869, Butlerov began giving lectures on chemistry.
Fighting for women to have the opportunity to receive higher education, he gives public lectures at the Vladimir, St. Petersburg and Bestuzhev women's courses.
The great Russian chemist died in the village of Butlerovka, Kazan province, on August 17, 1886, in the arms of his wife.
What is the scientist’s contribution to beekeeping?
In addition to chemistry, Butlerov was engaged in beekeeping. He published a paper on the topic "Two Fallacies" in 1870, for which he was awarded a gold medal. Also, his hand belongs to the treatise “The Bee, Its Life and the Main Rules of Intelligent Beekeeping.” Butlerov longed to expand knowledge about bees among the entire population. The scientist even proposed to include beekeeping in the list of seminary subjects and advocated the thematic free distribution of various publications for soldier seminaries and schools. In addition, Butlerov created his own school for the development and conduct of beekeeping. He himself had a large apiary at home.
Interesting facts from the life of Butlerov:
- He was interested in the issues of breeding tea varieties in the Caucasus.
- In his declining years, the chemist became interested in spiritualism.
- Butlerov brought out a new variety of roses.
- Loved hunting.
- Using the knowledge received from his father, Alexander Mikhailovich treated people and animals.
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