Vladimir Prelog
Who was Vladimir Prelog?
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1975)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Vladimir Prelog (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Vladimir Prelog was a Croatian-Swiss organic chemist born on July 23, 1906, in Sarajevo, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He spent his early years in various cities like Zagreb, Osijek, and Prague, amidst the political and social changes in Central Europe during the early 20th century. He went to high school at the III Gymnasium in Osijek and later studied chemistry at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
After finishing his education, Prelog worked in Prague and Zagreb before moving to Zürich, Switzerland, where he did his most significant scientific work. He specialized in organic chemistry, particularly the study of how atoms in molecules are arranged in three dimensions, a field known as stereochemistry. This was important for understanding how the shape of molecules affects their chemical behavior and biological activity.
Prelog's major contributions to stereochemistry brought him international fame and many prestigious awards. His work provided essential insights that advanced both theoretical and practical aspects of chemistry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1975, which he shared with John Cornforth.
In addition to the Nobel Prize, Prelog received many other top honors, such as the Marcel Benoist Prize in 1964, the Davy Medal and August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal in 1967, and honorary doctorates from several institutions including the University of Zagreb and the Weizmann Institute of Science. He remained connected to his homeland throughout his life, demonstrated by his honorary citizenships in Sarajevo and Osijek, and his receipt of the Order of Danica Hrvatska. Prelog continued his research work until he passed away on January 7, 1998, in Zurich, leaving behind a large body of research that still impacts organic chemistry today.
Before Fame
Prelog was born in Sarajevo just months before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which sparked World War I. His early life was shaped by significant political changes in Central Europe, including the fall of empires and the rise of new countries. He went to school at Osijek's III Gymnasium and then to Prague's Czech Technical University, both important places of learning in the newly established Czechoslovakia.
The early 20th century was a great time for chemistry. Scientists were making big discoveries about atomic structure, chemical bonding, and molecular behavior. This era saw the rise of physical chemistry and the start of modern organic chemistry, areas that became key to Prelog's work later on. People were just starting to understand that molecules could have different three-dimensional forms with very different properties, paving the way for Prelog's future work in stereochemistry.
Key Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1975) for research into stereochemistry of organic molecules and reactions
- Development of fundamental principles governing three-dimensional molecular structure
- Advancement of theoretical understanding of how molecular geometry affects chemical properties
- Receipt of multiple prestigious international scientific honors including the Davy Medal and Marcel Benoist Prize
- Establishment of stereochemistry as a crucial field in modern organic chemistry
Did You Know?
- 01.Prelog lived and worked in three different countries that underwent major political transformations during his lifetime: Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Switzerland
- 02.He shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with John Cornforth, who was completely deaf, making their collaboration particularly noteworthy
- 03.Prelog was made an honorary citizen of Osijek in 1994, more than 70 years after attending gymnasium there
- 04.He received the Centenary Prize in 1949, one of the earliest major recognitions of his work
- 05.His research career spanned nearly the entire 20th century, from the 1920s through the 1990s
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Chemistry | 1975 | for his research into the stereochemistry of organic molecules and reactions |
| August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal | 1967 | — |
| Marcel Benoist Prize | 1964 | — |
| Centenary Prize | 1949 | — |
| Davy Medal | 1967 | — |
| Honorary doctor of the University of Zagreb | — | — |
| honorary doctorate of the Weizmann Institute of Science | — | — |
| honorary citizen of Sarajevo | — | — |
| honorary citizen of Osijek | 1994 | — |
| Order of Danica Hrvatska | — | — |
| Foreign Member of the Royal Society | 1962 | — |
| Roger Adams Award in Organic Chemistry | 1969 | — |
| Paracelsus Prize | 1976 | — |
| Robert Robinson Award | 1968 | — |
| doctor honoris causa from the University of Paris | 1963 | — |
Nobel Prizes
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