Günther Wilke

Günther Wilke ( born February 23, 1925 in Heidelberg ) is a German chemist and professor emeritus of organic chemistry as well as former director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, succeeding Karl Ziegler.

Life and work

After graduation in 1943 at a high school in Heidelberg Wilke studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg, where he received his doctorate with Karl Freudenberg. In 1951 he moved to Mülheim an der Ruhr. Wilke began his career in the group of Karl Ziegler at the Max Planck Institute in Mülheim, where he is regarded as the discoverer of nickel effect. His habilitation was in 1960 at the RWTH Aachen. In 1963 he was appointed Scientific Member of the Max Planck Society, the Vice President, he was from 1978 to 1990.

Wilkes work in the field of catalysis, including in the catalyzed by nickel Cyclooligomersierung of 1,3- butadiene to eight - and twelve-membered carbocycles have influenced the history of chemistry and expands the fundamental understanding of important chemical reactions.

Derivatives of said carbocycles are industrially used successfully in the manufacture of nylon types used for various purposes as well as for the production of important base chemicals in the petrochemical industry.

Awards and honors

Wilke was a member of several scientific academies, received seven honorary doctorates and his work has been honored with numerous awards. He is a corresponding member of the mathematics and science class abroad, Vice President of the Max Planck Society (1978-1990), Member of the North Rhine- Westphalian Academy of Science and the Arts ( President 1994-1997), German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina ( since 1976), Hall, Academia Europaea, awarded the Austrian Medal of Honour for Science and Art, and many other more.

He was also a science policy in many functions operate, for example, as President of the German Chemical Society ( German Chemical Society ), Chairman of the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians, and he served on several boards of major chemical companies.

In 1987 he received the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded in 2000 with star. 2013 appointed him the German Chemical Society as an honorary member.

Publications (selection )

• Allyl- transition metal system. In: Applied, Vol 78 (1967 ), pp. 157-172.
• Contributions to the nickel- organic chemistry. In: Angewandte Chemie, vol 100 (1988), pp. 189-211.

• The Organic Chemistry of Nickel. Academic Press, New York 1974/75 (together with Peter W. Jolly ).