Otto Diels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Diels
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| Born | 23 January 1876 |
| Died | 7 March 1954 (aged 78) |
| Nationality | German |
| Alma mater | University of Berlin |
| Known for | Diels–Alder reaction Diels–Reese reaction |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1950) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Kiel |
| Doctoral advisor | Emil Fischer |
| Doctoral students | Kurt Alder Karl Wilhelm Rosenmund |
Otto Paul Hermann Diels was a German chemist. He was born on January 23, 1876, and passed away on March 7, 1954.
Diels is famous for his work with Kurt Alder. Together, they developed the Diels–Alder reaction. This is a special way to create certain chemical compounds. For this important discovery, they won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1950.
Their method helped a lot in making things like synthetic rubber and plastic. Otto Diels studied and worked at the University of Berlin. Later, he worked at the University of Kiel until he retired in 1945. He was married and had five children.
Early Life and Education
Otto Diels was born in Hamburg, Germany, on January 23, 1876. When he was two years old, his family moved to Berlin. In Berlin, he went to a school called Joachimsthalsches Gymnasium.
In 1895, he started studying chemistry at the University of Berlin. He learned from a famous chemist named Emil Fischer. Otto Diels finished his studies and graduated in 1899.
Discovering New Chemistry
After graduating, Otto Diels started working at the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Berlin. He quickly moved up and became the head of a department in 1913. He stayed at the University of Berlin until 1915.
In 1915, he moved to the University of Kiel. He worked there until he retired in 1945. It was during his time in Kiel that he worked with Kurt Alder. They developed the Diels–Alder reaction.
This reaction is a way to create certain types of chemical compounds. These compounds are called unsaturated cyclic compounds. Their discovery was very important for making things like synthetic rubber and plastic. Because of this amazing work, they received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1950.
About His Life
Otto Diels married Paula Geyer in 1909. They had five children together, three sons and two daughters. In his free time, Diels enjoyed reading books, listening to music, and traveling to different places. He passed away on March 7, 1954.
See also
- List of chemists
