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Nikolay MenshutkinRussian chemist.
Date of Birth: 12.10.1842
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Russian Chemist: Nikolai Aleksandrovich Menshutkin
- International Training and Research
- Academic Career in St. Petersburg
- Contributions to Chemistry
- Scientific Interests and Research
- Notable Discovery and Textbook
Russian Chemist: Nikolai Aleksandrovich Menshutkin
Early Life and EducationNikolai Aleksandrovich Menshutkin was a renowned Russian chemist. From 1853 to 1857, he studied at the Main German School's real department (Petrischule), and in 1862, he graduated from the natural science department of the physics and mathematics faculty at St. Petersburg University.
International Training and Research
During 1863-1865, Menshutkin pursued advanced training in Germany and France. He studied under A. Strecker at the University of Tübingen, under C.A. Wurtz at the Higher Medical School in Paris, and under A.W.G. Kolbe at the University of Marburg.
Academic Career in St. Petersburg
From 1865 to 1902, Menshutkin taught at St. Petersburg University, becoming a professor in 1869. He later became a professor at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute from 1902 to 1907.
Contributions to Chemistry
Menshutkin was an active participant in the founding of the Russian Chemical Society in 1868. He served as its secretary from 1868 to 1891 and as the first editor of its journal, "Zhurnal RKhO," from 1869 to 1900. In 1869, he presented the periodic table of elements on behalf of Dmitri Mendeleev.
Scientific Interests and Research
Menshutkin's research interests focused on organic and physical chemistry. From 1877 to 1897, he conducted extensive studies on the kinetics of etherification and saponification reactions, proposing structural-kinetic laws. He also investigated the autocatalytic nature of certain thermal decomposition reactions of esters.
Notable Discovery and Textbook
In 1890, Menshutkin discovered and characterized the alkylation reaction of tertiary amines with alkyl halides to form quaternary ammonium salts, known as the Menshutkin reaction. He authored a widely acclaimed textbook on "Analytical Chemistry" (1871), which underwent 16 editions, and wrote the first original Russian treatise on the history of chemistry, "An Essay on the Development of Chemical Concepts" (1888).
