Irma Goldberg

Last updated
Irma Goldberg
Born1871
Moscow
Diedunknown
Alma materGeneva University
Known forGoldberg reaction, Jourdan-Ullman-Goldberg reaction
SpouseFritz Ullmann
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic Chemistry

Irma Goldberg (born 1871) was one of the first female organic chemists to have and sustain a successful career, her work even being quoted in her own name in standard textbooks. [1]

Contents

Life

Education

Born in Moscow to a Russian-Jewish family, she later traveled to Geneva in the 1890s to study chemistry at Geneva University. [2]

Early research, Ullmann reaction

Her early research included the development of a process to remove sulfur and phosphorus from acetylene. Her first article on the derivatives of benzophenone, coauthored by German chemist Fritz Ullmann, was published in 1897. [1] [3] She also researched and wrote a paper (published in 1904) on using copper as a catalyst for the preparation of a phenyl derivative of thiosalicylic acid, a process known as the Ullmann reaction; Goldberg is the only woman scientist unambiguously recognized for her own named reaction: the amidation (Goldberg) reaction. [4] This modification to previous forms of the method was a great improvement, and was extremely helpful for laboratory-scale preparations. She coordinated on other forms of chemistry research with her husband, Fritz Ullmann, in what they called the Ullmann-Goldberg collaborative. [1] [5]

Move to Berlin, synthetic dye research

In 1905, both Goldberg and Ullman moved to Technische Hochschule in Berlin. Goldberg's research, along with that of the Ullmann-Goldberg collaborative, was also a part of Germany's synthetic dye industry. Their research helped with the creation of the synthetic alizarin industry, or the process of replacing natural dye obtained from madder. In 1909, Goldberg also collaborated with Hermann Friedman to review German patents under BASF (Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik) and Bayer & Co. Farbenfabriken, providing notes on preparation for 114 dyes. [1]

Marriage and later life

In 1910, Goldberg married Ullman. In 1923, they moved back to Geneva when Ullman accepted a faculty position at Geneva University. [1]

Her exact death date is not known, but her name does appear at the top of a list of people signing a memorial notice in a Geneva newspaper for her deceased husband, Fritz Ullmann in 1939. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms. Study of structure determines their structural formula. Study of properties includes physical and chemical properties, and evaluation of chemical reactivity to understand their behavior. The study of organic reactions includes the chemical synthesis of natural products, drugs, and polymers, and study of individual organic molecules in the laboratory and via theoretical study.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentaerythritol</span> Chemical compound

Pentaerythritol is an organic compound with the formula C(CH2OH)4. Classified as a polyol, it is a white solid. Pentaerythritol is a building block for the synthesis and production of explosives, plastics, paints, appliances, cosmetics, and many other commercial products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acridine</span> Chemical compound

Acridine is an organic compound and a nitrogen heterocycle with the formula C13H9N. Acridines are substituted derivatives of the parent ring. It is a planar molecule that is structurally related to anthracene with one of the central CH groups replaced by nitrogen. Like the related molecules pyridine and quinoline, acridine is mildly basic. It is an almost colorless solid, which crystallizes in needles. There are few commercial applications of acridines; at one time acridine dyes were popular, but they are now relegated to niche applications, such as with acridine orange. The name is a reference to the acrid odour and acrid skin-irritating effect of the compound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fritz Haber</span> German chemist (1868–1934)

Fritz Haber was a Jewish German chemist who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918 for his invention of the Haber–Bosch process, a method used in industry to synthesize ammonia from nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas. This invention is important for the large-scale synthesis of fertilisers and explosives. It is estimated that one-third of annual global food production uses ammonia from the Haber–Bosch process, and that this supports nearly half of the world's population. Haber, along with Max Born, proposed the Born–Haber cycle as a method for evaluating the lattice energy of an ionic solid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimethylaniline</span> Chemical compound

N,N-Dimethylaniline (DMA) is an organic chemical compound, a substituted derivative of aniline. It consists of a tertiary amine, featuring dimethylamino group attached to a phenyl group. This oily liquid is colourless when pure, but commercial samples are often yellow. It is an important precursor to dyes such as crystal violet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aniline</span> Organic compound (C₆H₅NH₂); simplest aromatic amine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinoline</span> Chemical compound

Quinoline is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C9H7N. It is a colorless hygroscopic liquid with a strong odor. Aged samples, especially if exposed to light, become yellow and later brown. Quinoline is only slightly soluble in cold water but dissolves readily in hot water and most organic solvents. Quinoline itself has few applications, but many of its derivatives are useful in diverse applications. A prominent example is quinine, an alkaloid found in plants. Over 200 biologically active quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids are identified. 4-Hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) are involved in antibiotic resistance.

In organic chemistry, an aryl halide is an aromatic compound in which one or more hydrogen atoms, directly bonded to an aromatic ring are replaced by a halide. The haloarene are different from haloalkanes because they exhibit many differences in methods of preparation and properties. The most important members are the aryl chlorides, but the class of compounds is so broad that there are many derivatives and applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emil Fischer</span> German chemist (1852–1919)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">August Wilhelm von Hofmann</span> German chemist (1818–1892)

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The Ullmann reaction or Ullmann coupling is a coupling reaction between aryl halides. Traditionally this reaction is effected by copper, but palladium and nickel are also effective catalysts. The reaction is named after Fritz Ullmann.

Fritz Ullmann was a German chemist.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diazonium compound</span> Group of organonitrogen compounds

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(<i>E</i>)-Stilbene Chemical compound

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benzyl benzoate</span> Chemical compound

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triphenylmethanol</span> Chemical compound

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References

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  2. "Organic Named Reactions and Social Challenges".
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  4. "Women Named Organic Reactions :: News :: ChemistryViews". www.chemistryviews.org. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  5. Olson, Julie A.; Shea, Kevin M. (2011-05-17). "Critical Perspective: Named Reactions Discovered and Developed by Women". Accounts of Chemical Research. 44 (5): 311–321. doi:10.1021/ar100114m. ISSN   0001-4842. PMID   21417324.