Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer

German chemist (1825–1909)

Born near Wiesbaden in Germany, Erlenmeyer studied at Giessen and practiced at first as a pharmacist. In 1855 he became a private pupil of August Kekulé at Heidelberg and later was appointed professor at the Munich Polytechnic (1868–83). He synthesized guanidine and was the first to give its correct formula (1868). He also synthesized tyrosine and formulated the Erlenmeyer rule, which states the impossibility of two hydroxy groups occurring on the same carbon atom or of a hydroxy group occurring adjacent to a carbon–carbon double bond (chloral hydrate is an exception to this rule). His son F. G. C. E. Erlenmeyer introduced the Erlenmeyer synthesis of amino acids and synthesized cystine, serine, and phenylalanine.

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Columbia Encyclopedia: Erlenmeyer, Richard A. C. E.

(ĕr'lənmī'ər) , 1825–1909, German chemist. He studied at Giessen under Justus von Liebig and at Heidelberg under Friedrich Kekulé, both German chemists. Erlenmeyer was professor of chemistry at the Munich Polytechnic School from 1868 to 1883. His experimental work included the discovery and synthesis of several organic compounds, e.g., isobutyric acid (1865); in 1861 he invented the conical flask that bears his name. Among the first to adopt structural formulas based on valence, he proposed the modern naphthalene formula of two benzene rings sharing two carbon atoms. In 1880 he formulated the Erlenmeyer rule: All alcohols in which the hydroxyl group is attached directly to a double-bonded carbon atom become aldehydes or ketones.

Wikipedia: Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer

Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer
Photograph of Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer
Born	June 28 1825 Taunusstein, Germany
Died	January 22 1909 (aged 83) Aschaffenburg, Germany
Residence	Germany
Nationality	German
Field	Organic chemistry
Institutions	Munich Polytechnic School
Alma mater	University of Gießen
Known for	Erlenmeyer flask

Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer (28 June 1825 – 22 January 1909) was a German chemist, usually known simply as Emil Erlenmeyer. He was born in Taunusstein, Germany.

He spent some years as a pharmacist after studying medicine.

He studied at Gießen under Justus von Liebig and at Heidelberg under Friedrich Kekulé. He also associated himself with Robert Bunsen in the study of fertilizers. Erlenmeyer was professor of chemistry at the Munich Polytechnic School from 1868 to 1883. His experimental work included the discovery and synthesis of several organic compounds, e.g., isobutyric acid (1865); in 1861 he invented the conical flask that bears his name. Among the first to adopt structural formulas based on valence, he proposed the modern naphthalene formula of two benzene rings sharing two carbon atoms.

In 1880 he formulated the Erlenmeyer Rule: All alcohols in which the hydroxyl group is attached directly to a double-bonded carbon atom become aldehydes or ketones.

He had to leave the academic work in 1883 for health reasons, but continued to act as a consultant. Erlenmeyer died in Aschaffenburg.

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Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer

Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer

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