Wolfgang Steglich
Encyclopedia
Life
Wolfgang Steglich was born in KamenzKamenz
Kamenz is a Lusatian town in eastern Saxony, Germany, with a population of 18,243, and is part of the Bautzen district. The town is located about northeast of Dresden and about northwest of Bautzen....
and studied chemistry at the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
and later at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
where he received his PhD in 1959 for work with Friedrich Weygand. After his habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
he became professor at the Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich
The Technische Universität München is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan...
in 1969 where he stayed until he became professor at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
in 1975. He succeeded Rolf Huisgen
Rolf Huisgen
Rolf Huisgen is a German chemist. He was born in Gerolstein and studied in Munich under the supervision of Heinrich Otto Wieland. After completing his Ph.D. in 1943 and his habilitation in 1947, he became professor at the University of Tübingen in 1949...
as head of the organic chemistry department of the University of Munich in 1991. He retired in 2001.
Work
The use of 4-dimethylaminopyridine4-Dimethylaminopyridine
4-Dimethylaminopyridine is a derivative of pyridine with the chemical formula 2NC5H4N. This colourless solid is a useful nucleophilic catalyst for a variety of reactions such as esterifications with anhydrides, the Baylis-Hillman reaction, hydrosilylations, tritylation, the Steglich...
for esterifications with anhydrides, which is sometimes called the Steglich esterification
Steglich esterification
The Steglich esterification is a variation of an esterfication with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as a coupling reagent and 4-dimethylaminopyridine as a catalyst. The reaction was first described by Wolfgang Steglich in 1978...
, and the contribution to the metabolism of fungus are his main contributions in the field of chemistry.