50 Bull. Hist. Chem. 20 (1997)
A STEREOCHEMICAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE FIRST ORDER: ALFRED WERNER'S RESOLUTION OF COBALT COMPLEXES, 85 YEARS LATER
G r . K ff n, C l f rn St t Un v r t , r n
Listen, old man; take my advice. Give me the cobalt in a thrice. Though Hell and Devil say me nay, I shall resolve cobalt today (1).
With these words the Old One (der Alte, i.e., Werner) challenges the King of the Spirits (Geisterkönig). Spurn- ing the tempting gifts offered him by the King, he ap- proaches the giant blue octahedron with a cry of "I want to resolve cobalt" (Ich will das Kobalt spalten). He tears one side of it away with his axe, removes the d-form, and spins it on his little finger. As everyone joyfully shouts, "It rotates, it rotates!" (Es dreht, es dreht!), der Alte removes the /-form from the other side of the octa- hedron and spins it on his little finger in the direction opposite to the d-form. Now that the momentous task has been accom- plished, all the participants face the audience and tri- umphantly sing the final chorus to the melody of Das Studium der Welber:
From early morn still night so late We'll just rotate, rotate, rotate, Until the world and all therein Alfred Werner (1866-1919) from George B. Kauffman, "Alfred Werner-Founder of Coordination Chemistry," Rotating spins to oblivion (2). Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1966, Frontispiece So ends the anonymous 1911 Weihnachtskommers (tra- ditional student Christmas party) playlet in verse, Drehen purports to tell in mock-heroic fashion the story of the and Spalten (Rotating and Resolving) (3), whose au- first successful resolution of an optically active coordi- thorship the late Nobel Chemistry laureate Paul Karrer nation compound, a problem that had occupied Alfred (Ph.D., Universität Zürich, 1911) admitted to me. It Werner (4) and a series of his students "over a period of Bull. Hist. Chem. 20 (1997) 51 some nine years" (5), according to his American Werner and King's resolution, all these compounds had Doktorand Victor L. King (1886-1958) (Ph.D., involved atoms of tetrahedral configuration (10). Universität Zurich, 1912) (6), who finally solved the Werner's work, on the other hand, involved a compound problem. King, who was accustomed to being greeted of the octahedral configuration, which he had proposed on the streets of Zürich with the inquiry, "Nun, dreht es in his first paper on the coordination theory (1893) (11) schon?"(Well, does it rotate yet?), recalls how he walked but which was still unproven. As a result of this work, into Werner's office with the long-awaited news. Werner "The spatial configuration of the co-ordination complex "leaned back in his chair, smiled, and said not a single with six associating units is now as firmly established word" (5). as that of the asymmetric tetrahedral carbon atom" (12). All the students knew that something extraordinary The resolution of optically active coordination com- must have happened when the always punctual Werner pounds, a feat that "shook chemistry to its innermost failed to appear at his 5 P.M. lecture. A young student foundations" (13), gained for Werner and his coordina- appeared, announcing that the lecture had been canceled. tion theory the widespread recognition for which he had Werner, fearing that the optical antipodes might racem- been striving so long. In 1913, two years later, largely ize, worked late into the night with King, making many because of this "most brilliant confirmation of [his] ste- derivatives and measuring their rotations. But his fear reochemical views" (14), Werner was awarded the Nobel was unfounded, for the enantiomorphs proved to be re- Prize in Chemistry "in recognition of his work on the markably resistant to racemization in solution, both on linkage of atoms in molecules by which he has thrown prolonged standing and even on heating to incipient new light on earlier investigations and opened up new boiling (7). fields of research especially in inorganic chemistry" (15). Werner atypically but elatedly accosted casual ac- quaintances to tell them of his greatest experimental tri- W rn r E rl r r h n Opt l umph — a "stereochemical achievement of the first or- A t v t der. (8)" Peter Debye offered his own personal account Contrary to common belief, Werner did not mention (9): optical activity in his first paper on the coordination On rl ft rn n h n I nt fr th l t theory (11). It was not until 1899, the same year in which th h In t t t ft r l n h W rn r h l d he accomplished his first resolution — that of the or- fr th pp t d f th ä tr It t rn d ganic compound, trans-hexahydrophthalic acid — with t th t h nt d t t l t b t th f t th t h his assistant Hermann Erich Conrad (Ph.D., Universita h d d d n n rd n t n p nd Zurich, 1898) (16) that he and A. Vilmos considered h h h d r t t n f th pl n f p l r z t n I v r h nt r t d nd d b t d d n t t for the first time in print the fact that molecular asym- nd r t nd h h t l d t n h d h d n metry for certain types of complexes containing chelate nt f d n t ll b f r th t t ligands (17) is a geometric consequence of his postu- lated octahedral configuration (1 The concepts of asymmetry and optical activity, although introduced fairly late into inorganic chemistry, have h f r th x l t d th l n d n b lt lt played a central role in organic chemistry. If modern [ d rn b ( th l n d n x l t b lt(111 lt organic chemistry is considered to begin in 1828 with (19 nd l r p nd pr d t n Friedrich Wöhler's synthesis of urea, then Jean Baptiste t p f r h h b l n t th l f - tr r f h h nt l n th l r- Biot's discovery of optical activity in 1812 antedates b n tr nd th l l r tr f th the very genesis of this field. Furthermore, Le Bel and n t l [ l h x nh x n l ] r n n (19 van't Hoff's concept of the tetrahedral carbon atom in 1874, which constitutes the foundation of stereochem- The first evidence that Werner had recognized that reso- istry, was proposed primarily to explain the optical isom- lution of such compounds would provide an elegant, erism investigated by Louis Pasteur and others. It is to definitive proof of his stereochemical views and that he Werner, however, that we owe the systematic introduc- was actually attempting to resolve them is found in a tion of the concept of optical activity into coordination letter of February 20, 1897 to Arturo Miolati antedat- chemistry. ing this paper by two years (20): Although compounds containing asymmetric atoms At pr nt r r h n f r tr ll n- other than carbon, e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, tr t d b lt l l W ll t b f l ? selenium, tin, and silicon, had been resolved before 5 ll t Ch (1997
K n t t f th t th t W rn r h d p nt n ations and had been studying Madame Curie's work n f l r l t n th n rv t v n on radium for that purpose. After having made these M r th n d d ft r th l tt r t ll 2000 separate fractional crystallizations which proved l d d W rn r b t h h d n t b nd n d h l ( 1 that the opposite ends of the system were precisely alike and that we had to do something more drastic, I I see from your beautiful paper in the Berichte that proposed increasing the dissimilarity of the you have been more successful in resolving diastomers [sic] by using brom camphor sulfonic acid propylenediamine than we have. Now I wish to ask as a salt-forming constituent having extremely high you whether you would permit me to use the active optical activity. When this was tried, the isomers in propylenediamine in the investigation of compounds the form of these salts literally fell apart. [(O 2N) 2Copn2 ]X, of which we have already obtained five inactive series. A l t n f th hl r - r br - r lt was tr t d th l t n f th r lv n nt h r - Further proof f nt n n t v t n th f ld p n th (+ (+ -d t r r pr p t t d nd r - pl n th W rn r ll t n f pl x l b l d v d b f ltr t n ( h (- -d th n t pr p - " l t n xp r nt n [C CO 3 n ] r [ n = th l- t t d fr th th r l r b dd t n f d n d n ] b n f lv r d-t rtr t /I 19 d th n t h r r t ll z d (+ (+ -d t r r b " ( It n th p nd th t K n b - tr t d th n ntr t d h dr hl r d t ld n xp r nt l r n f r t rr v n n r h (23), pr p t t f th (+ - hl r d h l th (- - hl r d but after r f n f l tt pt t r l t n pr p t t d b r nd n th (- -d th n t th n n- h b nd n d t tr t d h dr hl r d f ll d b l n h pr - d r r pr d bl ( 7 nd h b n d f d nd W rn r nd K n l t n pl f d f r l xp r nt f r th nd r- W rn r h th t d l d th d f r l - r d t n r n l b r t r ( t n t r d t r r f r t n h h ft n h r l t n h h W rn r n d r d t n- f l d b th n t r ll rr n pt ll t v f r " n f th t f r-r h n n l n f th d nd b th n v l bl f r r lv n nt t h dr l f r l " pr v d th t " t l t n act r nd th r lt r n t v r t bl n l - ntr l t f t bl tr ll n tr t d t n K pp n nd p nth fr n t r ll - l l [ nd] th t p r l l r p nd [ r- rr n (+ - ph r f r lv n nt th t r tr n d n t n p nd ] n l r t bl rr r d r b h (+ - ph r lf n nd (+ - r h r b th d ff r n b t n v l n br ph r lf n d pr v d d W rn r nd K n p nd [ rd n r p nd ] h h t ll fr - th th nt th t f n ll br ht th ( ntl nt n d d pp r nt r l " ( A rd- h r l t n nv lv d t r f pl x — n t K n t "th l t pr f f r th t h dr l th - n hl r b ( th l n d n b lt(III f r l d b A W rn r" ( 9 lt [C Cl( 3 n ] ( th K n nd th rr - W rn r n r ntr b t n t rd n t n p nd n -br - lt [C r( 3 n ] ( th h tr t t nd t b r th f t th t h W rn r Privat-Assistent Ern t S h lz h tr n d nd r Arth r ntz h n r n h - Un v r tät ür h 1911 ( 5 h l tt r r r t th n ph n t r h tr was r n ll t r lv b f th r t r d ff r n n l b l t ll d t Un v r tät ür h t t h r n h tr b t n th d t r r th t r f r d th th r - nd n t n d th n l t r n n r n h - lv n nt lv r (+ -3-br -9- ph r lf n t tr nt l th nt r t r 19 / 3 ( f pp 3 - r b th r th (+ -br ph r lf n t f th 39 It n t nt l 1 9 h n h r p t t n f r l (+ - nt p d l l bl th n th t f th (- - nt p d t bl h d n rd n t n h tr th t th n b r A rd n t K n l b r t r n t b ( f 3 f h n r n rt l — 1 — r h d th t f h r- p 1 nd t d b t t b t n Apr l nd n n p p r (3 1 1911 "W th th r n Reihe [ r ] th h r f r th t n t h t t W rn r d xtr lt f ll r ht t nd n fr t n t n n - l n t d n r lv n rd n t n p nd r " K n l t r r ll d (5 n t nl n nt r t n b t l t t n (31 M n n n pl x h x l t p nd h h I shall never forget the day that the optically active nt n th h l t l nd th h h W rn r f r t n- isomers were first attained. In connection with this d r d th p b l t f r pt l r (17 r - work, I had been carrying out some 2000 fraction- z r d l ; nd h ht h v h v d r l t n f ll t Ch (1997 53
th p nd th t r n z n th h t r d l d v l p d h l n p r d f r h f l- n r lv n nt h (+ -t rt r d r l d b v r l r f fr tf l nd pr l f pr d - n f l n th f t rd n t n - t v t A l K rr r xpr d t n th pr nt p nd nd th r lv n nt th t v nt ll pr v d "Wh n v r W rn r p n d p n f ld h xp nd d t b f l — (+ -3-br -9- ph r lf n d t th nb l v bl p d" (13 On W rn r h d d - — n t r d l v l bl t th t t n- v r d th n f r lv n rd n t n p nd th l n nd t d pr W rn r pr b bl l r n b r f p p r d r b n r l t n f d- d d n t tr t nt l h h d xh t d ll th r p b l - d t n l pl x — r th n f rt r th n ht t rth r r r nt pr v nt n n tr n- r — pp r d th r t p d fr h n t t t t t n h v pl d r t r l n W rn r th r th M h l r n ( h Un v r tät It nl h rtl b f r W rn r h v d h l n - ür h 1915 h v n r p d h d bt t t r b - ht th th S h dt & n h M d l n pt ll t v n r n pl x h h h h d 1 p l r t r th t th n tr nt h n f - r lv d th r n r lv n nt t r lv n t r f r r n ll r t t n h th pp h r n p nd d th l n d (3 h lf- h d (Halbschatten) d v n r d th pr - In th nd rt l n h 1 -p rt r " rd n n d t r n n th z r p nt th th d pl n Und r t nd n f th A tr C b lt At " (33 l r d l t n th h h h h d t r Alth h W rn r r lv d p nd f th -[C ( O n ] t th t pt l r t t n r r d t th - (fl v r b b n t n f t r lv n nt d -l n v l n th th nt n l r f W rn r — (+ - ph r lf n d h h f r l l bl l t n t h v d f th v l n th d ff - (- - lt nd (+ -3—br ph r-9- lf n d lt Ar nd th t f W rn r n nr h h h f r l l bl (+ - lt In th h nd lt ntr d d th f f lt r t bt n d ff r nt bl t v d n th lf n d d r v t v f th v l n th nd W rn r r p rt d ll h pt l r t - n n (- - ph r All h tt pt t r lv lt t n v l [ ]C r th r th n [ ] n ll th r l - f th rr p nd n tr n -[C ( O n ] ( r t n f pt l r n th b n f x t d r - r r n f l n pp rt f h t h dr l t n h n rt n h p th h h pr d t d th t nl th cis- nd n t th r th n n h t t W rn r l n th trans- r h ld x t n tr f r It p rh p h ld rv l th t h d d n th t l dd d r lv b l t n nd p rf l p n th t h d d C n d r n th p bl v r t f rd - t th r n l f th t r h t n t d t r n n t n p nd nd h f r lv n nt n- th nf r t n f tr ll r pl x tr nt nd v l n th ll th h hl p - In W rn r th rd p p r n th r (3 th r - f xp r nt l nd t n t r r d t l t n f -[C Cl O n ] b n f n n t nl l th t v n f r n th W rn r x- (+ - ph r lf n t nd n (+ - p r nt l ll nd h l nt t n n r f br ph r lf n t pr v d d n n l f h rd r ht h v b n n d d t lv th pr b- t r t t n l r t th t b rv d th d xtr l In h rt n xt n v Ed n n tr l- nd- rr r n r n p nd d b r p d t n ppr h n r nd th l r n b r f p - r t n bl xp r nt t b tt pt d r nd r d th p - b l t f ll In n W rn r n l - [C Cl O n ]Cl + O Æ [C O O n ]Cl v pr f f n t h dr l nf r t n f r b lt(III b th r l t n f rt n rd n t n p nd rd n t d hl r n t pp r t b r - d t h p r t nt b l f n h n d nd h pl d b t r h n lv r lt r d r lv n nr l nt n tt pt t pr v th d p t h t th r nt n h f rth p p r n th r (35 W rn r d ht h v f nd t b n r nt bl xp r nt l n (+ - nd (- -br ph r lf n t t r - b t l lv -[C Cl n ] Alth h t bl n th dr t t th t v lt r z d n l t n t f r n t v Further Resolutions hl r nd d lt Y t n W rn r bl t r pl rd n t d hl r n t th th r It r p t n h t r l n r th t h n v r n - t th t l f pt l t v t l b rv d th n b t nt ll n b n tt pt d h t th t r t n pr d th h n n th n f nd ff rt r r r d t d v r th f r t f l r t t n b t h r l z d th t th n f r t t n f x pl ; th r ft r n r x pl r l nd 5 ll t Ch (1997
pl x n t d t r n d pl b t b l t n- t n th pl t l f t v t th n 3 - f r t n nd th t n ntl h n n n n d n t n t b ttr b t d t n nv r n f nf r t n In th n nth p p r f th r ( 3 W rn r In th f fth p p r n th r (3 W rn r r lv d pr v d th t p l n l r ll n n l r - [C n3] 3 lt b r t ll z t n f th hl r d t r- pl x ld b r lv d d n tr t n h th r t ll tr t r br d t rtr t n f th f n pr d t d n l b t n p nd nt n n t n r n pl x n h h t rt r d pr v d - tr rb n t nd p l n l r pl x f l r lv n nt th th r b n th t f th th t t l t n th r tr n nf r t n f tr t r ll l r [ h n3] 3 (37 r rd d th h t h dr l h p th In pl t n l th r l t n f tr ( th l n d n b lt(III lt t rt r d W rn r pr p r d p rt l rl p rt nt b t f rn h d n l v pr f f r th rr tn f th t h dr l nf r - [ n C ( ( O C n C t n n th t t l n t d th h x n l pl n r nd tr - n l pr t nf r t n h h ld p n r (+ (- f r ; (+ - nd (- - n nt r ; nd pl n f tr f r p nd f t p [M(AA 3] n nt rn ll p n t d n nr lv bl meso f r It l d n tr t d th t pt l t v t d n t r - A rd n t th rd n t n th r th t - r th l n f different r p t th ntr l t b lt t n th b n l r pl x h ld n t b nd t xpl n d th pt l t v t f n n r l tr t r ll d nt l b n b nd d b pr n - h b p l n l r lt h h b r rd d p l v l n (Hauptvalenz) t O nd b nd r n t t t n ll l r t [M n3] lt (3 v l n (Nebenvalenz) t nd th th r v v r All tt pt t r lv b d t r r f r t n v r th n t v t f th meso f r nd t th t th pt ll t v n n th lt th h h K n th t b lt t xh b t n d ff r n v n n th r b n h r viz., [C CO3 n ] r n f l t n n th pl n f p l r z d l ht nd th t th h r f r n th xth p p r f th r (39 W rn r nd O r p r tr ll l t d th r p t t th r th th l t h tt r M C t h n h t th b lt t C n ntl W rn r n l d d n r l h tr n tr t r t th Un v r t th t "n nt l d ff r n n x t b t n pr n - f nn lv n n 19 nth z d pt ll t v p l nd nd r v l n b nd " (kein prinzipieller [C CO3 n ] b th t n f p t rb n t n Unterschied zwischen Haupt- and pt ll t v -[C Cl n ] lt r t n l t r Nebenvalenzbindungen bestehen kann) ( 3 t t nt nv t t d b l r ( nd th r W rn r nd th t h l b ntl d n th r n M C t h n l pr p r d pt ll t v In th t nth p p r f th r ( 5 W rn r t th r [C C O n ] b r t n f t v -[C Cl n ] th d K h ( h Un v r t t ür h 191 nd th p t x l t r th r th n b r l t n f th l Wü t ( h Un v r tät r h 1913 r lv d r xt r (39 In tt pt n th l tt r W rn r d v l p d n th d f r l t n pr f r nt l [ n C III( (O C I n ] r t ll z t n ( 1b pr d r rr ntl d n - p n t pr d - l t d n t nn nt t (pr v l pr p r d n ( nt thr f r — (+ (+ ; ll tt pt t r lv cis- (- (- ; nd (+ (- ( f r l t n th C (I r n [Co(NH3)2en2]X3 lt b n f pt ll t v n n t b n rr t; th t b lt t r v - d h d nd d n f l r n th v nth p p r f th l nt nd tr p t v nd th O p r x d br d r W rn r nd Sh b t ( 1 nv rt d pt ll - ll n th p r nt p nd t r t th v r t v -[C r 3 n ] lt ( nt th rr p nd- r nt h l bt n d th f ll n pt ll t v n t v d n lt b tr t nt th l d - p nd n [ n C ( (O C n ] 3 -[C r 3 n ] + 3 — -[C ( 3 n ] r [ n C ( (O C n ] 3 (pr b bl [ n C ( (O C n ] 3 In th hth p p r f th r ( W rn r nd [ n C ( (O C n ] h rn ff r lv d -[C rCl n ] lt b pr p - [ n C ( ( O C n ] t t n th n (+ - nd (- -br (pr v l r lv d n ( 3 ph r lf n t In l t n th t v lt nd r nd [ n C ( (SO C n ] 3 ll t Ch (1997 55
In th l v nth p p r f th r (1 b W rn r nd t r ll l r t [M n3] lt th th n r n b h rt ( h Un v r tät ür h 191 d O C ( 3 ]+ n n pl f th r n th l- pr f r nt l r t ll z t n t r lv [C C 2O4 n2] th n d n l l nd h ld th r f r b p bl r n h h h f r t pr d t d th p b l t f pt - f x t n n pt ll t v f r l r (19 dd n " d" r t l f (+ - h r l t n f th br d th lv r (+ - [C C2 4 n2 ] r t n ntr t d l t n f br ph r lf n t v r t d b f th r [C C O en ] r f ll d b dd t n f l h l nd l ht d ff r n n l b l t b t n th d t r - th r th bt n d pr p t t f p r (+ - r Opt l r t t n r nt r d ff lt [C C2O4 n2] r h th n r v r d th (- - r b f th d r l r f th l t n nd r d fr th l t n n 5 t n t n z th r p d r - z t n v rth l d f d f r f th r l - The Final and Unequivocal Proof t n r pr d bl (53 nd h b n d pt d n nd r r d t l b r t r xp r nt (5 S n Alth h th pl x th t W rn r h d r lv d p W rn r l r l t n nl f v th r pl t l t th t (191 r pr nt d r r bl v r t f rb n-fr n r n pl x h v b n r lv d p nd t p th ll p d n n h r- v z., t r t — th ll nt n d rb n Ev n th h th [ h ( SO } ( O ]- (55 tr l rb n- nt n n l nd ( th l n d - [ t(S5 3] - (5 n b p r d l r x l t n r th lv pt - - - -[C (C ( 3 ( O ]+ (57 ll n t v n h t pp d t W rn r v - - -[C ( O ( 3 ( O ] + (57 ht nt n th t th pt l t v t f th r lv d nd [Cr( O3 3] 3- (5 pl x n d t th pr n f th l nd nd th t d bt n th v l d t f th t - Conclusion h dr l nf r t n f r n t nl b lt(III b t l f r hr (III rh d (Ill nd r n(II h r th n pt n f h t d f pt l t v t pl x W rn r h d l r lv d W rn r d d n t l t h lf t th pl x f b lt r th r n th t lfth nd l t rt l n d d n r lv n rd n t n p nd f W rn r r n th tr b lt t ( 7 hr (III r n(II rh d (III r d (III nd p rt l rl t f n nd l n f r t v nd - pl t n (I h h r d d l h r (59 t d h t h dr l n pt f r v n h t pt - nt n d h r r h th b lt t n l d pl x l nt p r r ( -5 In h n rd th r - th pt ll t v n tr l l nd r x- l t n pr v d th t " rb n-fr n r n p nd pl h nd h t nt A S rn ff ( r lv d n l x t rr r r " ( 7 nd th t -[C ( O 2 2 npn] r; th p nd ll tr t d n th r f r "th d ff r n t ll x t n b t n rb n nd pl t d t p f r h h r fr p nd nd p r l n r n p nd d p- thr — (1 (fl v tr r ( p r " ( 7 n ll h h d v r f d xp r nt ll l nd r ((+ -pn r (- -pn nd (3 tr t r l nv t n th t h h d h ld f r n r — th r n r d b th n tr l n t r f th nt l d ff r n b t n r n nd n r n pn l nd ( r nl It tr b t t W rn r h tr t h dr l d l th t h ld pr d t th x t n f It r n th t th pl t l n r n t n pt ll t v r f th pl x nd tr b- t t h xp r nt l ll th t h bl t l t t tr n l r tr [t tr n -µ-d h dr x b lt(III ] b lt(III lt th t W rn r nd h f l th v n th h h n bl t n n b - t r nd n S ph M t n ( h Un v r tät tr t r t ll f th r h 191 d d n r lv n r f r t pr - In h l t rt l ( 1 p bl h d th nn p r d b r n n (51 h W rn r r l - El b th S h z r ( h Un v r tät ür h 1919 n l d d n h b l pt n ddr W th nd W lt r K rr r ( h Un v r tät ür h 1919 Ern t rl ( h Un v r tät ür h 1911 Ern t r th n r ft r h pr t r d th W rn r n- n l r ( h Un v r tät r h 19 nd G t v f r d h v th t b-d t n t n n p t nt h ( h Un v r tät ür h 19 7 W rn r h d rd n t n p t n ( 3 b pr p r n pt ll h d th t th p th n t t t n t v t l t n t b ( th l n d n b lt(III [C (O C ( 3 }3] (5 h r th tr - nd pr p n l t n t b ( th l n d n b lt(III lt
law 56 Bull. Hist. Chem. 20 (1997)
Thus, during his last years, Werner devoted him- G K ff n Alfred Werner: Founder of Coordina- self almost exclusively to the optically active complexes tion Chemistry, Spr n r- rl Y r 19 that had proved his stereochemical views and had 5 K n "A h b t r ll nt nd " J. Chem. brought him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His studies Educ., 42, 19, 3 5 r b r ph l nf r t n n K n G . of these complexes underlie much of the more recent K ff n Classics in Coordination Chemistry, Part 1 and sophisticated studies of the thermodynamics; kinet- The Selected Papers of Alfred Werner, v r Y r ics; visible, ultraviolet, infrared, NMR, and EPR spec- I9 pp 157-15 tra; rotatory dispersion; circular dichroism; ligand ex- 7 G K ff n " h r t l t n f C rd n - change; racemization; absolute configuration; and other t n C p nd " n O. Ed van't Hoff—Le aspects of these and similar compounds. Although some Bel Centennial, A r n Ch l S t W h n - of his resolution methods have been improved upon, and t n C 1975 pp 1 -1 his specific rotation values have proved to be too low, d Humour and Humanism in Chemistry, G ll he was a true pioneer who first opened a previously un- & S n nd n 19 7 p hn d th h t r n suspected field. In his last works he stood on the thresh- f h tr r v d h h nd r W rn r n 19 7 th n r n t r h l d rt t n old of an extremely complex area of research — the study 9 b l tt r t G r K ff n b r of optically active coordination compounds containing 19 3 optically active ligands. If his creative and fruitful life 1 G K ff n nd I rn l "Ov rl d Opp rt n - had not been cut short by his death at the early age of t n St r h tr rt II h l t d C nn - 53, Alfred Werner certainly would have made many sig- t n b t n M t l-A n (Alfr d W rn r nd Or- nificant contributions to this field. n On C p nd (W ll n p " J. Chem. Educ., 8 , 66, 93-3 ACK OW E GME 11 A W rn r " tr z r K n t t t n n r n h r rb nd n n " Anorg. Chem., 8 , 3 7-33 r The author is indebted to the referees for helpful com- n nn t t d En l h tr n l t n f pp 9- ments and suggestions. 12. G. M r n "Alfr d W rn r " J. Chem. Soc., 20, 117, 1 39-1 E E E CES A O ES 13 K rr r " r f Alfr d W rn r " Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 1 Er t M r nbl tt v b r 1 1919 1. "HOT, Alter, ich rate dir wirklich sehr, ll t n p 1; r pr nt d n Vierteljahresschrift der Gib mir das Kobalt gutwillig her. Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zurich, , 64, 51- Nicht Halle und Teufel sollen mich halters, 5 Noch heute will ich das Kobalt spalten." 1 I f h tz "Alfr d W rn r " Elektrochem., 20, 26, 2. "Ja, vom Morgen bis Abend spat, 51 -5 9 I r l f h tz r v d h venia legendi (th Wird jetzt nur noch gedreht, ja gedreht, r ht t l t r th Habilitationsschrift ( p p r Bis die ganze grosse Welt b d n th r lt f r n l nd nd p nd nt Sich drehend in Ohnmacht fallt." p td t r l r r h t Un v r tät ür h n 1911 3. Drehen und Spalten: Tragikomisches Volksspiel in einem 15 b l nd t n Nobel Lectures Including Presenta- Akt, W hn ht r d r Un v r tät-Ch r 15 tion Speeches and Laureates' Biographies: Chemistry, z b r 1911 rt - r r G br nn & 1901-1921, El v r A t rd 19 p 53 W rn r C ür h-S ln 1911 r x rpt tr n l t d nt r v d th f ll n n n t n f r th b l r z En l h G K ff n nd K ld " l 19 7 E n b r r; 19 Ad lf v n r K rr r— t t n nd lv n A r p l r lb n E Gr nd n G r n nd r d r l " Chemistry, 4, 47(2), -1 h nt r pl l t r d ll; 1911 Ott r th A . ll n nd p rf r d n En l h t th v n t ff— l C n- l W ld n; 191 E l h r Arn ld n h nn t nn l S p 1 th t n l M t n A r n h l nd Ed r W d nd; nd 1913 Sv nt A Ch l S t Atl nt C t S pt b r 11-1 Arrh n h l n n t d h d r W h rd 197 th G r K ff n n th r l f W rn r (th 191 nn r E l h r Arth r ntz h nd th t f nt rn t n ll d t n h d h - W rn r Doktorvater, nd l S b t r (th 191 n- t n l d n b l l r t It l p rf r d n r All th 191 nd 1913 n n t r x pt h r t th C l f rn St t Un v r t r n M 1 197 ; n 1911 p f ll t d W rn r r n pt l - th A tr l n t n l Un v r t C nb rr - t v t In b th 191 nd 1913 r dr h nd n b r 1975; nd t n f th nn-Oh rd r S - p n n t d W rn r b t b th r n n t n t n A r n Ch l S t Y n t n O r r v d ft r th br r 1 d dl n n b th r br r 197 th r d ll d ( nf r t n nd l tt r f n - Bull. Hist. Chem. 20 (1997) 57
n t n rt f K -In ll r d S r t r t th 1 ( A W rn r l tt r t v Al ndr v h Ch v b l Ar h v C tt th l S d h A d- (1 73-19 th n h t h n nth - f S n S l E Cr f rd lbr n t pr p n nt f h rd n t n th r v b r nd Ullr h The Nobel Population 1901-1937: A 15 19 7 (b r b r ph G K ff n Census of the Nominators and Nominees for the Prizes " rp n t l t n h Ch l C r r f v in Physics and Chemistry, Off f r t r f S n Al ndr v h Ch v " Chem. Educ., 1963, 40, nd hn l Un v r t f C l f rn r l CA 5 - 5 Off f r t r f S n Upp l Un v r t n b (1 -19 r v d h h nd r Upp l 19 7 pp 17 17 177 1 -195 W rn r p rv n n 19 nd rv d h - 1 A W rn r nd E C nr d "Üb r d pt h t v n t nt r b r ph r í nd G K ff n r n h x h dr pht l ä r n " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., "J. b nd rt p t n n W rn r C rd - 1899, 3 3 -3 55 n t n h r " n G K ff n Ed Coordination 17 Alth h W rn r l t n f th l n - ht n t bl Chemistry: A Century of Progress, A r n Ch l -t tr n d hl r b lt(III lt (v l lt S t W h n t n C 199 pp 5 - 7 cis- [C Cl ( 3 ] (A W rn r "Üb r 1 - hl r - 3 K n Nachweis des Oktaheder Formels der t tr n- b lt lz (A n v l lz " Ber. Kobaltiake: Arbeit fur Ph.D., Zurich, 1910-1912, p Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 1907, 40, 17- 5; f r n nn - h l b r t r n t b pr rv d n th Ch tr t t d En l h tr n l t n f pp 1 -15 n- p rt nt br r t rt th C ll n v r v n d h pr r nt f dv r r S ph M d fr h h K n r v d h b h l r d r n 19 7 r n n (1 37-191 th t th l tr nd- Ør n n S K pp n nd W p "St d f th rp n h n th r ld n t b rr t (G K ff n nd All d C p nd h S lph n r v t v f "S ph M d r n n nd th W rn r- r n n C ph r " J. Chem. Soc., 1893, 63, 5 - W rn r C ntr v r " Chymia, 1960, 1 - W rn r - d th r pr d r b t pr v d nth h v n n pr p r n t nd nl t r f r - b n d v d e.g., G K ff n "A p d S pl - pl x f t p MA nd MA3 3 n t ff nt f d S nth f - r -d- ph r-p - lf n A d t pr v th t h dr l nf r t n In p t f h nd It S lt " J. prakt. Chem., 1966, [ ] 33, 95- 97 "n t v " v d n t ld b r d th t f l r t 5 h p nd l n f th pl x th t l t th rd r d d n t n r l pr v t n n- W rn r d t pp rt h rd n t n th r nd d - x t n h r l t n f tr rd n t n r d t th r v l l tr nd- Ør n n h n th r p nd ld pr v d W rn r th th "p t v " f r t pr p r d b Ør n n ("U b r pr f th t h n d d M t lld nv rb nd n n II A n- 1 A W rn r nd A l " tr z r K n t t t n A th l nd n-Chl r p rp r b lt lz " J. prakt. n r n h r rb nd n n II Ub r Chem., 1890, [ ] 41, 53- 59 Ox l t d äth l nd n b lt lz (C C O n " Z. A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n anorg. Chem., 1899, 21, 1 5-15 p 1 7 K b lt t I.," Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 1911, 44, 19 h lt r n t th f r t rd n t n p nd 1 7-1 9 ; f r n nn t t d En l h tr n l t n f t b r lv d b t W rn r d d n r lv n th 159-173 n 191 nd 191 — ( A W rn r nd M C t h n 7 G K ff n nd E ndl r " l t n f " r K nntn d tr h n K b lt t II " th - r n b ( th l n d n b lt(III Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 1912, 45, 3 1-3 7; (b A I n " Inorg. Syn., 1976, 16, 93-97 W rn r nd I. h rt " r K nntn d G K ff n nd E ndl r "A Cl n tr h n K b lt t I Üb r C rd n t n Ch tr A l t n Exp r nt f r Ox l t d äth l nd n- b lt lz nd n n th In r n b r t r " J. Chem. Educ., 1974, 51, Sp lt n th d für r h n r n h - 5 rb nd n n " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 1914, 47, 171- 9 K n "Üb r Sp lt n th d n nd hr 1 An nd n f pl x M t ll- W rn r f r r f ll d t r l t d nt fr nd nd A n v rb nd n n " rt t n Un v r tät ll b r t r n th l l nd t n t d f - r h J. M r r h 191 p 59 rd n t n p nd — th f r t p bl h d xp r n- 3 G B. K ff n "Alfr d W rn r r h n Or n t l r n pp rt f h rd n t n th r (A W rn r St r h tr " Die Naturwissenschaften, 1976, 63, nd A M l t " trä z r K n t t t n n r n h r 3 -3 7 rb nd n n I Abh ndl n " physik. Chem., 1893, 31 G K ff n " h v r f Opt ll A t v 12, 35-55; " trä z r K n t t t n n r n h r C rd n t n C p nd A M l t n n St r h - rb nd n n II Abh ndl n " physik. Chem., 1894, tr " Isis, 1975, 66, 3 - 14, 5 -5 1; f r nn t t d En l h tr n l t n f 3 A W rn r nd M r n "Ob r d pt h t v n pp 9 -139 r b r ph G K ff n th l-b rn t n r n " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., "Art r M l t (1 9-195 " Isis, 1970, 61, 1- 53 1913, 46, 3 9-3 3 58 Bull. Hist. Chem. 20 (1997)
33 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n hl n t fffr n rb nd n n " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. K b lt t II " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., , 44, Ges., 4, 47, 3 7-3 9 r n nn t t d En l h 5- 555 tr n l t n f pp 177-1 3 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n A W rn r " Er bn d r Sp lt n v r h t K b lt t Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., , 44, n r n h n rb nd n n " n Schweizerische 3 7 -3 7 Chemische Gesellschaft: Ansprachen zu Ehre des Herrn 35 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n Prof. Dr Werner gehalten bei der Versammlung yam 2. K b lt t I " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., , 44, Mai 1914 in Neuenberg, I pr r h Eb rh rd 3 79-3 nn S tz rl nd 191 pp 35- 7 ( n G r n ; 3 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n Archives des Sciences physiques et naturelles, 4, 37, K b lt t " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 2, 45, 1 1- 55 ( n r n h 13 9 A W rn r "Üb r n r n h K n t t t n - nd 37 A W rn r "Üb r Sp lb ld r b h d K nf r t n fr n " l t r t rf r h nd rb nd n n I " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 2, 45, G ll h ft ür h r h n 191 1 -1 3 5 A W rn r "S r l t v té pt d p é 3 A W rn r " r K n t t t n b h r S lz nd n - h n rb n " l t r S été Ch d l n t t rt K pl x lz I.," Ber. Dtsch. Chem. r n r A t 17 191 ; Compt. rend., 4, , Ges., 0 , 40, 1- 9 - 9 39 A W rn r nd [ ] M C t h n " r K nntn d 51 S M r n n r K n t t t n d r K b lt- tr h n K b lt t I " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Chr - nd h d b n M tt l n " Anorg. Ges., 2, 45, 3 1-3 7 Chem., 8 8, 16, 1 -197 r r r nt nth C l r r nd W A t n ` h St r h tr G K ff n nd nn ll " f C pl x In r n C p nd I h W ld n In- r [t tr n -d h dr x - b lt(III ] b lt(III S lf t - dr t " v r n Exh b t d b th l n d n b lt Inorg. Syn., 60, 6, 17 -179 C p nd " J. Am. Chem. Soc., 4, 56, 77 -77 5 A W rn r E rl E n l r nd G nt h "Ob r r n Chr t ph r K In ld nd n ld S hr rn M t ll n I Üb r d n- h l ("M h n K n t nd St r h tr f h x lt tr b lt lz nd x äth l nd n- O t h dr l S b t t t n rt I Ed -d pl nt h x lt tr b lt lz C [( O C A ]3 " Ber. p th n n M h n th th St r h - Dtsch. Chem. Ges., 0 , 40, 1 3- 1 5 tr f S b t t t n " J. Chem. Soc., , 7 - 53 Y A nd G K ff n " l t n f t d th t l r h ld n t r f r t h d v r th d n h x - -h dr x -t tr b lt(III W ld n nv r n b t pl d n t h dr l I n " Inorg. Syn., 2, 29, 1 9-17 t p nv r n n l t th f l r br ll nv r- 5 Y A nd G K ff n " h l t n n f t tr h dr l rb n f C pl t l In r n C rd n t n C p nd A 1 A W rn r nd Y Sh b t " r K nntn d M d f d Cl Exp r nt f r th In r n b r - tr h n K b lt t II " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. t r " J. Chem. Educ., 8 , 66, 1 5-1 Ges., 2, 45, 3 7-3 93 55 G M nn " h C pl x M t ll S lt f S lf d " A W rn r nd G h rn ff " r K nntn d J. Chem. Soc., , 1 - 19 tr h n K b lt t rn III " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. 5 G ll rd nd W r "In r n Opt l Ges., 2, 45, 3 9 -33 1 A t v t " Chem. Soc., Chem. Comm., 8, 93 -937 3 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n 57 S Sh b S j n nd M Sh b t " r p r t n K b lt t I " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges., , 46, f v l A n br n [1 7- 3 7 -3 3 tr z l n n n ] b lt(III C pl x " Chem. Lett., A W rn r "Üb r rb nd n n t z , 7 3-7 tr h n K b lt t n " l t r r n 8. . dl h nd M Eb rt " r ph ph t hr A d " t h r Ch r r b r r G r n Nature (London), 60, 188, 57- 5 ; Zh. Neorgan. M 9 191 Khim., 62, 7 1 5- 191 ( n n ; " r ph ph t 5 A W rn r . K h nd M t " r K nntn d Chr A d " Russ. J. Inorg. Chem. (Engl. transl.), tr h n K b lt t " Ber. Dtsch. Chem. 62, 7 113 -113 Ges., 4, 7 19 1-1979 59 G K ff n "Alfr d W rn r r h n Opt - A W rn r S lz r M p r ür t nb r S ll A t v C rd n t n C p nd " Coord. Chem. M l r n M Gr r ff A Grün E nd h dl r nd Rev., 4, 12, 1 5-1 9 E W lt "Ob r hr rn M t ll n " A W rn r "Üb r n n I r rt b Ann., 0, 375, 1-1 K b ltv rb nd n n nd rb nd n n t 7 A W rn r " r K nntn d tr h n tr h n K b lt nd K hl n t ff " Helv. Chim. K b lt t II Ob r pt h A t v tät b Acta, 8, 1, 5-3 ; l l t r th th t tl ll t Ch 20 (1997 59
Schweizerische Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Geneva, n l p d rt l n h tr th h t r f h - September 14, 1915. tr nd h l d t n A xt r A rd (197 61. A. Werner, J. E. Schwyzer, and W. Karrer, "Optisch- h h l n b n t v n ACS ff r rv n IS aktive Kobaltsalze mit beta-Diketonreste im Komplex," S p Ch r n (19 19 197 1993 r - lv. Ch . A t , 2 , 4, 113-129. r Ch r n (19 7-197 nd Division Ch r n 62. A. Werner, "Ober Acetylacetonverbindungen des (19 9-197 A G nh f ll nd C ntr b t n Platins," r. t h. Ch . G ., 0 , 4, 2584-2593. Ed t r f f v j rn l h r ntl b th f r t r - 63. A. Werner and S. Matissen, "Zur Konstitution der inneren Metallkomplexsalxe," lv. Ch . A t , 8, /, 78-84. p nt f th r d nt M d l f t n t n th h h- t n nd r rd pr nt d b CSU th r ABOUT THE AUTHOR h n r n l d CSU S t O t t nd n r f r MCA C t l t A rd ACS nt l A rd n Ch - G r K ff n r f r f Ch tr t C l - l Ed t n M r -A t t t M d l nd f rn St t Un v r t r n th th r r d t r Ch v K v nd Ch rn v M d l f th USS f 1 b nd r th n 1 p p r r v nd A d f S n
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