HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Vladislav M. Vlasov, Vice Director

The Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry was founded in 1958 as a part of reorganization of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. The renowned chemist in the field of organic chemistry, N. N. Vorozhtsov, Jr. (1907-1979) was a founder and the first Director of the Institute up to 1976. Until 1987, the Institute had been governed by Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR V. P. Mamaev (1925-1987). Since then and until the beginning of 1997, Academician V. A. Koptyug has been the Director of the Institute. The Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry was founded to develop chemistry and technology of aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, some divisions of chemistry of natural compounds (primarily, forest chemistry) and chemistry of nucleic acids. Well-equipped research groups in physicochemical methods of analysis (UV, IR, mass, NMR, X-ray and gas-chromatographic analyses) were organized for assisting in the development of studies in these fields. Since 1964 a pilot chemical plant has been operating, where technologies for the preparation of fine chemical synthesis products have been developed in pilot setups. The Scientific Technical Center on Chemical Information was organized in the Institute in 1971. This Center is primarily oriented towards the creation of computer databases on the molecular spectroscopy of chemical compounds. A specialized library of spectral information (catalogues, card files, reviews and monographs) is one of the Center subdivisions. The Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry was formed basing on the corresponding Department of the Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry in 1984 because of the enlargement of investigations on the chemistry of nucleic acids. A specialized library on chemical aspects of ecological problems was organized in the Institute in 1989 to meet the demands of the general expansion of work on environmental protection in Siberia and a small part of the personnel was reoriented towards work on these problems. At the present time there are 450 people in the Institute, among them 170 research workers including 22 Doctors of Sciences and 90 Ph.D. During the period from 1958 to 1993 scientists of the Institute have published more than 3500 scientific articles, 30 books and have acquired more than 500 author's certificates and patents. Scientific investigations in the Institute are performed in 17 laboratories and 7 research groups, covering five scientific areas: physical organic chemistry, organic synthesis, chemistry of terpene compounds, technical and analytical chemistry and chemical information. The Institute has extensive international scientific contacts. It participates in the realization of joint projects involving cooperation agreements between the Department of General and Technical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Center of National Research (CNR) of Italy and agreements between the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academies of Sciences of China, Mongolia and Tohoku University (Japan). There are direct agreements concerning scientific cooperation with universities and scientific centers in Germany. Scientists of the Institute actively present their work at international conferences and symposia and participate in their organization. For example, the International Conference on Nitroxyl Radicals was held in the Institute in 1989, and bilateral seminars on chemical information (with Japan) and on the chemistry of organofluorine compounds (with Germany, Japan and the UK) are periodically held. The Scientific Technical Center of Chemical Information of the Institute is involved in the International Scientific Technical Network (STN International). The Institutes has active commercial contacts with firms in Belgium, the USA, France, Japan and Italy.

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