Rudolf Schmitt
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Schmitt was a German chemist who together with Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe
discovered the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction
.
as the second of eight siblings as son of a preacher. He moved several times during his childhood and entered the Gymansium as boarding pupil in Marburg
. He received his Abitur
in 1853 and entered the University of Marburg the same year. He started studying mathematics, theology and chemistry, but later concentrated on chemistry. After 8 Semesters he joined Hermann Fehling at the University of Stuttgart
but returned to work with Adolph Kolbe
in 1857.
For his work on Sulfanilic acid he received his PH.D in 1861 and for his work on Salicylic acid he received his habilitation in 1863.
He worked at the University of Kassel
and later the commercial school in Nuremberg
. Due to an explosion of a glass tube filled with hydrogen sulfide
he lost his right eye in 1869.
He spent most of his academic career at the Dresden University of Technology
which was promoted from to a Polytechnicum and in 1890 to a Technische Hochschule
during his stay. He was elected Director of the University in 1891, but had to renounce due to his bad health. He stopped teaching in 1893 for the same reason. Schmitt died at his house in Radebeul
in 1898.
Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe
Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe was a German chemist. He never used the first two of his given names, preferring to be known as Hermann Kolbe.-Life:...
discovered the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction
Kolbe-Schmitt reaction
The Kolbe–Schmitt reaction/Kolbe process is a carboxylation chemical reaction that proceeds by heating sodium phenolate with carbon dioxide under pressure , then treating the product with sulfuric acid...
.
Biography
Schmitt was born in the small village Wippershain in the Hesse-KasselHesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
as the second of eight siblings as son of a preacher. He moved several times during his childhood and entered the Gymansium as boarding pupil in Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
. He received his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1853 and entered the University of Marburg the same year. He started studying mathematics, theology and chemistry, but later concentrated on chemistry. After 8 Semesters he joined Hermann Fehling at the University of Stuttgart
University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
but returned to work with Adolph Kolbe
Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe
Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe was a German chemist. He never used the first two of his given names, preferring to be known as Hermann Kolbe.-Life:...
in 1857.
For his work on Sulfanilic acid he received his PH.D in 1861 and for his work on Salicylic acid he received his habilitation in 1863.
He worked at the University of Kassel
University of Kassel
The University of Kassel, founded in 1970, is one of the newer universities in the state of Hesse. The university is in Kassel, and as of September 2010 has about 18,113 students...
and later the commercial school in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. Due to an explosion of a glass tube filled with hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...
he lost his right eye in 1869.
He spent most of his academic career at the Dresden University of Technology
Dresden University of Technology
The Technische Universität Dresden is the largest institute of higher education in the city of Dresden, the largest university in Saxony and one of the 10 largest universities in Germany with 36,066 students...
which was promoted from to a Polytechnicum and in 1890 to a Technische Hochschule
Technische Hochschule
Technische Hochschule is what an Institute of Technology used to be called in German-speaking countries, as well as in the Netherlands, before most of them changed their name to Technische Universität or Technische Universiteit in the 1970s and in the...
during his stay. He was elected Director of the University in 1891, but had to renounce due to his bad health. He stopped teaching in 1893 for the same reason. Schmitt died at his house in Radebeul
Radebeul
Radebeul is a town in the Elbe valley in the district of Meißen in Saxony, Germany, a suburb of Dresden. It is well-known for its viticulture, a museum dedicated to writer Karl May and a narrow gauge railway connecting Radebeul with the castle of Moritzburg and the town of Radeburg...
in 1898.