Erich Hückel (1896-1980) - Andreas Karachalios

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Résumé :
Emerging disciplines in the border zone between physics and chemistry have 1 attracted the attention of historians of science particularly in the last 20 years. 2 Quantum chemistry, as an offshoot of theoretical chemistry, has recently acquired 3 some importance in the history of chemistry. It is the product of close 1 Cf. Hiebert, E. : Discipline Identi cation in Chemistry and Physics, in: Science in Context, 9(2) (1996), 93?119; Nye, M. J. : Physics and Chemistry: Commensurate or Incommensurate Sciences? in: The Invention of Physical Science, Intersections of Mathematics, Theology and Natural Philosophy since the Seventeenth Century ? Essays in Honor of Erwin N. Hiebert. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht 1992; From Chemical Philosophy to Theoretical Chemistry: Dynamics of Matter and Dynamics of Disciplines, 1800?1950. University of California Press, Berkeley 1994; Servos, J. W. : Physical Chemistry from Ostwald to Pauling, the Making of a Science in America. Princeton University Press, New Jersey 1990; Chemical Sciences in the 20th Century: Bridging Boundaries, edited by Carsten Reinhard. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim 2001 (incl. a comprehensive bibliography). 2 In an earlier article I point out that the term ?quantum chemistry? [Quantenchemie] rst appeared in 1929. To my knowledge it was coined by the physicist Arthur Haas. Talks he had del- ered before the Viennese Chemico-Physical Society in the spring of 1929 are assembled in his book: Die Grundlagen der Quantenchemie: Eine Einleitung in vier Vortr?ge. It was published by the Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft in Leipzig.

Sommaire:
Erich H?ckel's Education and Scientific Awakening: The Path to Quantum Chemistry.- Erich H?ckel's Research Agenda During the 1930s: Underpinning Organic Chemistry with Quantum Theory.- The Controversy Between Erich H?ckel and Linus Pauling over the Benzene Problem.- Linus Pauling's Breakthrough to the Theory of Aromatic Compounds and H?ckel's Reaction.- H?ckel's Efforts to Disseminate His Theory and Its Reception.- H?ckel's Professional Career in National Socialist Germany.- The Postwar Years.- Summary and Concluding Remarks....