RUDOLF

See also:

• RUDOLF FITTIG (1835– )

FITTIG (1835– )  , German chemist, was born at Hamburg on the 6th of December 1835 . He studied chemistry at Gottingen, graduating as Ph.D. with a dissertation on acetone in 1858 . He subsequently held several appointments at Gottingen, being privat docent (186o), and extraordinary professor (1870) . In 187o he obtained the chair at Tubingen, and in 1876 that at Strassburg, where the laboratories were erected from his designs . Fittig's researches are entirely in organic chemistry, and cover an exceptionally wide field . The aldehydes and ketones provided material for his earlier work . He observed that aldehydes and ketones may suffer reduction in neutral, alkaline, and sometimes acid solution to secondary and tertiary glycols, substances which he named pinacones; and also that certain pinacones when distilled with dilute sulphuric acid gave compounds, which he named pinacolines . The unsaturated acids, also received much attention, and he discovered the internal anhydrides of oxyacids, termed lactones . In 1863 he introduced the reaction known by his name . In 1855 Adolph Wurtz had shown that when sodium acted upon alkyl iodides, the alkyl residues combined to form more complex hydrocarbons; Fittig developed this method by showing that a mixture of an aromatic and alkyl haloid, under similar treatment, yielded homologues of benzene . His investigations on Perkin's reaction led him to an explanation of its mechanism which appeared to be more in accordance with the facts . The question, however, is one of much difficulty, and the exact course of the reaction appears to await solution .

These researches incidentally solved the constitution of

coumarin, the odoriferous principle of woodruff . Fittig and Erdmann's observation that phenyl isocrotonic acid readily yielded a-naphthol by loss of water was of much importance, since it afforded valuable evidence as to the constitution of naphthalene . They also investigated certain hydrocarbons occurring in the high boiling point fraction of the coal tar distillate and solved the constitution of phenanthrene . We also owe much of our knowledge of the alkaloid piperine to Fittig, who in collaboration with Ira Remsen established its constitution in 1871 . Fittig has published two widely used text-books; be edited several editions of Wohler's Grundriss der organischen Chemie (11th ed., 1887)and wrote an Unorganische Chemie (1st ed., 1872; 3rd, 1882) . His researches have been recognized by many scientific societies and institutions, the Royal Society awarding him the Davy medal in 1906 .