Günther Wilke

Infobox_Scientist
name = Günther Wilke

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caption = | birth_date = 1925
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nationality = German
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field = inorganic chemistry
work_institution = Max Planck Institute for Coal Research
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known_for = Organo-Nickel Chemistry
prizes = Willard Gibbs Award 1991
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Günther Wilke is a German chemist who was influential in organometallic chemistry. He was the director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research (Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung) from 1967-1992, succeeding Karl Ziegler in that post. During Wilke’s era, the MPI made several discoveries and achieved some financial independence from patents and a gift from the Ziegler family. The institute continued as a center of excellence in organometallic chemistry.

Wilke’s own area of interest focused on homogeneous catalysis by nickel complexes. His group discovered or developed several compounds including Ni(1,5-cyclooctadiene)₂, Ni(allyl)₂, Ni(C₂H₄)₃. Some of these complexes are useful catalysts for the oligomerization of dienes. [cite journal | author=Wilke, G.| title=Contributions to Organo-Nickel Chemistry | journal=Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English | volume=vol. 27 | issue= | pages=185-206 | year=1988 | doi=10.1002/anie.198801851

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References

See also:http://www.mpi-muelheim.mpg.de/kofo/english/institut/geschichte_e.html