José Elguero Bertolini facts for kids
José Elguero Bertolini (born in 1934) is a famous Spanish chemist. He is known for his important work in a field called heterocyclic chemistry. This is the study of special ring-shaped molecules.
He is an Honorary Research Professor at the Medicinal Chemistry Institute of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The CSIC is Spain's main public research organization. He was its president from 1983 to 1984. Since 2015, he has been the president of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences.
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A Scientist's Journey
José Elguero was born on Christmas Day, 1934, in Madrid, Spain. He studied chemistry at the Central University, which is now called the University Complutense of Madrid. He graduated in 1957.
After finishing his first degree, he decided to move to France to continue his studies. He first tried to become a perfumer, someone who creates perfumes, but that didn't work out. Instead, he was accepted as a PhD student by Professor Robert Jacquier at the University of Montpellier. A PhD is the highest university degree a person can get. He earned his PhD in 1961.
He worked as a researcher in France for over 20 years. He worked at an organization called the CNRS, first in Montpellier and then in Marseille. He also spent time visiting and working with other famous scientists, like Professor Alan R. Katritzky in England.
In 1980, Elguero returned to Spain. He became a Research Professor at the CSIC in Madrid, where he continued his amazing scientific career. Because of his great work, he was made an Honorary Research Professor in 2005.
Over his long career, he has held many important leadership roles. He has been called one of the most productive Spanish scientists, having written more than 1,500 scientific articles.
What Did He Discover?
Professor Elguero has made many important contributions to chemistry. He often worked with experts from other fields to make new discoveries.
Studying Special Molecules
A big part of his work was in heterocyclic chemistry. This is the study of molecules that form rings. These rings are special because they contain atoms other than carbon, like nitrogen or oxygen. He studied things like:
- Tautomerism: How some molecules can quickly switch between two different structures.
- Hydrogen bonding: A special kind of attraction that holds molecules together.
- Aromaticity: A property that makes some ring-shaped molecules very stable and strong.
He studied many types of these molecules, including azoles.
Using Modern Tools
Elguero also used many modern tools and methods in his research.
- He used a technique called NMR to study what molecules look like and how they behave.
- He was a pioneer in computational chemistry, which means using powerful computers to study and predict how chemicals will act.
- He studied crystals to understand how atoms are arranged. This helps in creating new materials, a field called crystal engineering.
Creating New Chemicals
He also worked in synthetic chemistry, which is all about making new chemical compounds. He explored new ways to make chemical reactions happen, such as:
- Using sound waves (sonochemistry).
- Using microwaves (microwave chemistry).
Designing Medicines
In medicinal chemistry, he used math and computer programs to help design new drugs. This method helps scientists find compounds that could be used to treat different diseases.
Important Book
He is one of the authors of a very important book for chemists who study heterocyclic chemistry:
- The Tautomerism of Heterocycles. Advances in Heterocyclic Chemistry-Supplement 1, published in 1976.
See also
In Spanish: José Elguero Bertolini para niños
