Father of thermochemistry: Who is Marcelin Berthelot?

(1827-1907) French chemist and politician. He is known for his work that allows the synthesis of organic substances and laid the foundations of thermochemistry. Pierre Eugene Marcelin Berthelot was born on October 25, 1827, in Paris. Deciding to become a doctor like his father, he studied at the Paris Faculty of Medicine for a while, eventually choosing chemistry and receiving his chemistry diploma from the Paris Faculty of Science in 1849. Beginning his doctoral studies under Ralard's direction at the College de France in 1851, he completed his doctorate in 1854 with his thesis on the synthesis of natural oils, and in 1859 became professor of organic chemistry at the College of Pharmacy. In addition to this position he held until 1876, he was the director of the organic chemistry laboratory at the College de France from 1865 until his death. Berthelot, who became a member of the Academy of Sciences in 1873, was appointed permanent secretary of this organization in 1889. In 1900 he was awarded the Legion d'honneur grand cross, and in 1901 he was elected to the French Academy.

Pierre Eugène Marcellin Berthelot (25 October 1827 – 18 March 1907) was a French chemist and Republican politician noted for the Thomsen–Berthelot principle of thermochemistry. He synthesized many organic compounds from inorganic substances, providing a large amount of counter-evidence to the theory of Jöns Jakob Berzelius that organic compounds required organisms in their synthesis. 

The Franco-Prussian War of 1870, like many scientists, had pushed Berthelot away from his research and into political life. He served on the resistance committee in Paris during the occupation and was later elected senator in 1871, although he did not run. Confirmed as natural senator for life in 1881, he served as minister of education in the Goblet cabinet from 1886 to 1887. He was appointed foreign minister in the cabinet of Leon Bourgeois in 1895 but resigned a few months later as the government did not embrace Sudan and Egypt politics.

Berthelot, who was the representative of the left wing during his time in the parliament and frequently confronted the church for the secularization of education, died in Paris on March 18, 1907. He was buried in the Pantheon with his wife, who died a few hours before him.

Berthelot's chemistry studies cover two major areas: synthesis chemistry and thermochemistry. Berthelot, who obtained organic compounds such as naphthalene and benzene from acetic acid in his first studies in the 1850s, was the first chemist to use the term "synthesis". During his doctoral study in 1854, he showed that natural oils could be synthesized by esterification of glycerine and fatty acids; Later, he focused his attention on sugars and made a systematic classification of all substances in the carbohydrate structure of extracts (simple sugars), holosides and polysaccharides.

Today's chemistry owes the synthesis of many organic substances to Berthelot. Berthelot, who was suspicious of every unobservable reality and adopted a positivist understanding of science, was one of the last chemists to believe in the atomic theory.

Berthelot, who started to examine the heat in chemical reactions in the 1860s after his synthesis research, laid thermochemistry on solid foundations by taking this issue that Hess was interested in before him. He developed very sensitive calorimeters to measure the heat of reactions, measured the rate of various chemical reactions in 1863, and designed the calorimeter bomb for oxidation reactions.

By showing that organic compounds not found in nature can be obtained by synthesis, Berthelot, one of the greatest names in synthesis chemistry and the founder of thermochemistry, also made valuable studies on agricultural chemistry and the history of chemistry. Berthelot, who studied the manuscripts in Egypt and Mesopotamia, considering that the Egyptian metalworkers' experiences lie at the heart of alchemy, is one of the two great chemistry historians of the 19th century, along with Kopp.

Works of Marcelin Berthelot

Synthesis-Based Organic Chemistry

The Origin of Alchemy

Revolution in Chemistry: Lavoisier

Applied review of Chemical Heat Measurement

Plant and Agricultural Chemistry. Meudon Plant Chemistry Station

Hydrocarbons

Experimental Studies