Scientific Conference "Contemporary Problems of Organic Chemistry"

Dr. I. Grigoriev Prof., Director of Novosibirsk N.N. Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry  (SB RAS)

N. N. Vorozhtsov - an Outstanding Organic Chemist and a Founder of the Academic Science in Siberia

On the 6-th of June 2007 we had celebrated a centenary of Nikolay Nikolayevich Vorozhtsov – one of our greatest organic chemists of the 20-th century, the founder of Novosibirsk Organic Chemistry Institute, which was later named after him, and one of the creators of the scientific centre of universal importance the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences.

He had developed as a scientist under the influence of two great teachers. The first one was his father, a founder of aniline-dye industry of Russia, Professor N. N. Vorozhtsov Senior, who had inculcated in him a professional interest for chemistry. The second great teacher of N. N. Vorozhtsov was an outstanding Russian scientist A. E. Chichibabin, under who's leadership Nikolay Nikolayevich had fulfilled his diploma work regarding research of bergenin, a natural febrifuge and analgesic agent.

According to the results of that research he had published his first article as a co-author together with A. E.Chichibabin, A. V. Kirsanov and A.I. Korolev. N. N. Vorozhtsov having had a great school of organic chemistry had kept an interest for chemistry of natural and heterocyclic compounds forever, and his first monograph was devoted to the chemistry of natural tanning agents. The work of academician N. N. Vorozhtsov had gathered in itself a whole power of Russian Organic Chemistry traditions and enriched it with discovery and development of new research fields.

Scientific interests of academician N. N. Vorozhtsov, realized in his creative work heritage, appeared to be that seed, out of which all the research directions of school created by him had grown and had obtained their development in Novosibirsk Organic Chemistry Institute of Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, a founder of which he was and a director of which he had been appointed in 1958. Nikolay Nikolayevich had set up the laboratories to develop all the directions laid by him, where the scientific researches were headed by his closest students: V. A. Koptyug, he was in charge of studying of organic reactions' mechanisms, carbocation chemistry and physical methods of studying; V. P. Mamaev headed a direction of heterocyclic compounds chemistry; E. P. Fokin was a chief scientific worker for intermediate products chemistry and special purpose materials creation; G. G. Jakobson - chemistry of haloid, mainly, fluoroaromatic compounds; S.M. Shein was in charge of studying a nucleophilic substitution reactions' mechanism.

Aromatic nucleophilic substitution had been boosting N. N. Vorozhtsov active interest during his whole work life, because it was one of main tracks of moving from basic arenes to their functional derivatives. The results obtained at that  were of fundamental importance for formation of modern views regarding the complex metal catalysis for aromatic nucleophilic substitution. The assembly of patterns of relationship, revealed by N. N. Vorozhtsov and his colleagues during the studying of aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions and developed at that experimental approaches created a powerful potential for break-through in the fluoroaromatic compounds chemistry. A brightest period of scientific work of N. N. Vorozhtsov was a vast cycle of extensive studies in the field of fluoroaromatic compounds executed by him together with his students, due to which N. N. Vorozhtsov had gone down into history of science as a founder of this scientific direction in this country.

A start for studies in the chemistry of polyfluoroaromatic compounds was founded by the implementation of idea, that during an accumulation of halogen atoms in aromatic ring, and due to their assembled electron acceptor influence the introduction of fluorine atom under the influence of alkali metal fluoride became possible at the absence of strong electron acceptor substituents of nitrogroup type.

At that, a rather high thermal resistance of initial and formed polyhalogen aromatic compounds allowed to conduct the reactions at high temperatures. As it turned out, that had a decisive importance, because solvents used in general couldn't stand high temperature and under more mild conditions a total chlorine substitution for fluorine  could not been reached. Later this, so called "Russian" method distinguished by its simplicity and high grade of fluorine use was taken into practice by laboratories and companies in different countries of the world. Later N. N. Vorozhtsov had expanded a planned studying of polyfluoroarenes chemistry.

At first, it included the revealing of properties of aromatic main body, and secondly - connected with it functional groups. Being mutually complementary the results of those researches created an entire picture of mutual influence of structural fragments and reactivity of polyfluoroarenes as a base for developing their functionalization ways. At that, it was determined, that as a result of substitution of all or the majority of hydrogen atoms for fluorine atoms the reactivity of arenes not only doesn't deplete any more, but on the contrary, becomes richer in the assembly of reagents, transformation types and thus opportunities for synthesis.

The Chemistry of polyfluorochloroarenes was developing as well. Polyfluorochloroarenes are intermediate products on the way from perchloro- to pefluoroarenes. Realizing the importance of isomerization of aromatic compounds, opening the opportunities for transfer from isomers initially formed in reactions of electrophilic substitution to less available ones N. N. Vorozhtsov had carried out a deep investigation of organic compounds isomerization processes. The works of N. N. Vorozhtsov and his co-workers regarding the isomerization of aromatic compounds were devoted to revealing of main path rules and mechanism of substitute migration process.

Using the method of labeled atoms they have studied the kinetics of mutual transformations of toluene -1- C¹⁴ and its isomers. Henceforth in the city of Novosibirsk V. A. Koptyug gave a new powerful impulse to continue these researches. In 1990 the executed under his guidance huge cycle of works regarding studying the structure and properties of carbocations received a highest appreciation in our country - Lenin's Prize.

Thereby N. N. Vorozhtsov, who had breathed life into those studies, was rewarded according to his deserts. One of the "side" results obtained together with V. A. Koptyug became a starting point for developing of scientific direction, connected with synthesis derivatives of imidazole and stable nitroxylic radicals on the base of alpha- hydroxylaminooxymes. The researches conducted in this field (Prof. L. B. Volodarsky's Laboratory) were rewarded with State Prize in 1994. Synthetic approaches developed as a result of those researches allowed to carry out synthesis of a wide rage of nitroxylic radicals of set characteristics necessary for their effective use as spin labels and probes for biomedical studies, construction of molecular magnetics and regulators of polymer chains growth.

Realizing how urgent the researches of chemical bases of complicated biochemical processes are, N. N. Vorozhtsov invited the graduate of his chair in Moscow Chemical Technological Institute (MCTI, now Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia)  Dr. D. Knorre (who later became an Academician, Secretary-Academician of the Department of Physical and Chemical Biology of Academy of Sciences) to become a head the Laboratory of Natural Polymers (later it became the starting point for Bioorganic Chemistry Institute of Siberian Branch RAS which was initiated later by N. N. Vorozhtsov and organized by D. G. Knorre). Proceeding from the fact, that flora of Siberia is the richest source of biologically active compounds, N. N. Vorozhtsov created a Laboratory of Natural Physiologically active Compounds, which was led by invited from the city of Leningrad his old colleague Mr. A. T. Troshenko. Later Nikolay Nikolayevich Vorozhtsov had initiated a transfer of Dendrochemistry Laboratory (created in 1945 by A. P. Pentegov and headed by his daughter V. A. Pentegova) from The Chemical and Metallurgical Institute of Siberian Department of Academy of Sciences to Novosibirsk Organic Chemistry Institute.

Thus the powerful block of subdivisions, aimed at the development of chemistry of biologically active compounds. All above said characterizes N. N. Vorozhtsov's contribution to the fundamental organic chemistry. Besides that, he was an important scientist and technologist, who always was keen to draw the project to the production process. About a quarter of his works list consists of inventor's certificates and patents. One of his first responds to the actual Siberian region demands and needs was a creation of production technology and launching of methatolyol acid diethylamide and "DETA" repellent based on it at Kemerovo's aniline-dye maker. It became a salvation for people working in taiga.

It is natural, that institute being created by N. N. Vorozhtsov, could not afford not to contain in its structure a perfect by that time technological block - Pilot Chemical Plant including in itself a technological laboratory, experimental chemical section and autoclave department. N. N. Vorozhtsov invited his MCTI chair graduate A. A. Khmelnizky to lead that subdivision. Here the synthesis of diamino- and tetraaminodiphenyl ethers carried out by E. P. Fokin and his co-workers were turned into technologies, that allowed to set up a commercial production of those important products and polymers based on them in this country, one of which was used for creation of costumes for cosmonauts, the participants of the "Soyuz"-"Apollo" program. At the set-ups of pilot production numerous processes of isolation of precious substances out of herbal raw materials and forestry engineering complex waste were carried out.

On the base of autoclave department low-tonnage technologies for production of base polyfluoroarenes were developed. The importance of Experimental Chemical Production regarding providing the scientific laboratories with unique chemical compounds and auxiliary materials can't be estimated. N. N. Vorozhtsov highlighted the pedagogical work. He gave lectures on chemical technology of organic compounds at Leningrad Technological Institute and on organic chemistry at Military Technical Academy named after F. E. Dzerzhinsky (1930-1938).

In 1938 after his moving to Alma-Ata N. N. Vorozhtsov was elected a head of Organic Chemistry Chair at the Kazakh State University. There he had taught organic chemistry, was a head of a chair and a dean of chemical faculty.

In 1943 Nikolay Nikolayevich was transferred to Moscow as he was appointed as a Director of Scientific and Research Institute for Organic Products and Dyes, where he worked till 1947. In 1945 he was elected a head of Organic Dyes and Intermediate Products chair at D.I. Mendeleyev Moscow Chemical Technological Institute , which his father headed before. In Siberia Nikolay Nikolayevich continued his pedagogical work.

He was amongst the organizers of Novosibirsk State University and its Natural Sciences Faculty, created a chair of organic chemistry, which headed for the period of 1961-1967. He was a member of a first Academic Council of NSU along with such outstanding scientists as academicians I. N. Vekua, M. A. Lavrentjev, S. A. Khristianovich, A. A. Trofimuk, S. L. Sobolev.

Nikolay Nikolayevich was a highly educated person, he knew the history of the organic chemistry perfectly and he had conducted a thorough study on the place of Russian scientists in creating of aniline-dye industry in Russia. Since 1958 till 1970 the scientist headed a library commission (later council) of SB of USSR Academy of Sciences having played a great part for creating of State Public Library of Siberian Branch. The fruits of scientific labour and scientific and managing work of Academician N. N. Vorozhtsov, created by him a school of organic chemists are a priceless contribute to the intellectual property of Russia. The scientist had generously imparted this wealth to his students. But besides the scientific heritage Nikolay Nikolayevich had set an example of humanity, decency and moral health for them. Scientific and managing work of N. N. Vorozhtsov was appreciated by the state at a high level. He was rewarded with Orders of Lenin, October Revolution, Red Labour Flag and many USSR medals. He also shared the State Prize of the USSR with his father Prof. N. N. Vorozhtsov for the preparing of publishing of the third edition of "Bases of Intermediate Products and Dyes Synthesis".

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