Richard Erlenmeyer | Biography

Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer made many contributions to the field of chemistry. His career demonstrates that being engrossed in a field leads to the invention of improvements in methods and organization of knowledge. Erlenmeyer improved the methods of chemistry by creating a beaker that now bears his name. The beaker is conical shaped which makes it easier for mixing substances. It is an invention that grew out of his recognizing a necessity. This recognition of the need is testimony to his many hours in the laboratory. In addition, Erlenmeyer endorsed and improved a new representational system for molecules. However, he is most remembered for his research in the synthesis and constitution of aliphatic compounds. From this work, he discovered previously unknown compounds and the "Erlenmeyer rule."

Erlenmeyer was born in Germany in early 1825. When he was twenty years old, he entered the University of Giessen as a medical student. As part of his study, he attended a lecture by the researcher Leibig. That lecture led Erlenmeyer to a career in chemistry. He studied with Leibig in Giessen and later with Kekulé at Heidelberg. When Erlenmeyer was 43, he accepted a position at the Munich Polytechnic School as professor of chemistry. He stayed in that position for fifteen years. During his career, he was the editor of a journal started by Kekulé and another one founded by Leibig. He helped co- author a book on the organization of chemistry. In addition, he also wrote many research articles on experimental and theoretical organic chemistry.

Erlenmeyer is credited with being the first to synthesize several compounds. One of these was isobutyric acid, which he discovered in 1865. He was the first to synthesize guanide because he was the first to identify correctly its structural formula. He also correctly identified the structural formulas for creatine and creatinine, paving the way for their successful synthesis. Another compound that he successfully synthesized was tyrosine.

In 1880, Erlenmeyer illustrated the formation and structure of lactones derived from hydroxy acids. In this same year, he also reported his failed endeavors to produce alcohol from hydroxyls. Because of the presence of a double bond carbon atom, he ended up with isomeric carbonyl compounds. After many attempts, he concluded that all such alcohols would change immediately to aldehydes or ketones. This maxim became known as the Erlenmeyer rule.

Because he was so involved with research and the issues involved, he could see the needs and the direction of the field better than most. His explanations of the concepts of valence and structure lead the way to their greater acceptance. He actually coined the terms "mononvalent" and "divalent" to replace the theoretically awkward "monatomic" and "diatomic" (respectively). Another term he coined was "unsaturated," as applied to compounds that formed addition compounds. His use, and subsequent modifications, of the Crum Brown structural chart also lead to its faster acceptance by the field. He promoted Kekulé's ring structure for benzene and from this he created a more clear formula for benzene.

Erlenmeyer spent much time clarifying concepts. He did this by producing new terms and demonstrating why those new terms better explain a concept than what went before. He demonstrated with his sincerity that to organize an issue is to prepare for its resolution. His ideas could be readily accepted because all in the field knew his hard work was behind his recommendations.