Vladimir Prelog Quotes

Powerful Vladimir Prelog for Daily Growth

About Vladimir Prelog

Vladimir Prelog (January 24, 1906 – December 5, 1998), a renowned Croatian-Swiss chemist, was a prominent figure in the field of organic chemistry during the mid-20th century. Born in Zagreb, then part of Austria-Hungary (now Croatia), Prelog developed an early interest in chemistry under the guidance of his father, a high school chemistry teacher. He pursued his studies at the University of Zagreb, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1930. Prelog's career took a significant turn when he moved to Switzerland in 1932 to work with Paul Karrer at the ETH Zurich. Karrer was a Nobel laureate in Chemistry and his research greatly influenced Prelog's later work on carbonoides, stereochemistry, and configuration theory. In 1946, Prelog became a professor at the University of Zurich, where he remained until his retirement in 1976. His groundbreaking work focused on chirality (the property of being either left-handed or right-handed) in organic compounds and the development of configurational nomenclature. He is best known for his invention of the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules, a system used to assign absolute configuration to chiral molecules. Throughout his career, Prelog published over 600 papers and was awarded numerous accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1977 (shared with D.H. Richardson and T.W. Gibbs) for his work on the conformation and stereoisomerism of carbohydrates and related compounds. Prelog's contributions to organic chemistry have been widely recognized, and he continues to inspire chemists worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In science, as in love, the first step is the hardest."

This quote by Vladimir Prelog suggests that the initial stages of both scientific exploration and romantic relationships require significant effort and determination. In science, this could mean overcoming challenges to formulate a hypothesis or devising an experiment for the first time. Similarly, in love, it refers to the effort required to build trust, communicate effectively, and navigate the early stages of getting to know someone. The commonality lies in the hurdles that must be crossed before progress can be made and success achieved, be it a groundbreaking scientific discovery or a deep, meaningful relationship.

"The structure of a molecule determines its chemistry."

This quote by Vladimir Prelog underscores the profound relationship between the physical arrangement, or "structure," of a molecular entity, and its chemical behavior. Essentially, it means that a molecule's properties, such as reactivity, stability, and bonding capacities, are significantly influenced by the way its atoms are connected. In other words, understanding the structure of a molecule is crucial to predicting and explaining its chemical reactions.

"To discover a new chemical reaction is like opening the door to a room from which one has been deafened by the noise of hammering."

This quote by Vladimir Prelog suggests that discovering a new chemical reaction is comparable to gaining access to a previously inaccessible space, where much activity (the "hammering") has been taking place unheard. The noise symbolizes the challenges or difficulties associated with understanding complex chemical processes. Once the door is opened, the deafening sounds can be heard and analyzed, leading to new insights and advancements in chemistry. In essence, it emphasizes the excitement and significance of discovering new chemical reactions, as they open up new frontiers for scientific exploration and progress.

"In science, as in life, it's not about how fast you run, but about where you run and why you run there."

This quote emphasizes that progress and success in science (and life) are not solely determined by speed or haste, but rather by the direction and purpose of one's actions. It encourages individuals to focus on understanding the 'why' behind their work, ensuring it is valuable, meaningful, and significant. Moreover, it suggests that targeting relevant areas with a clear purpose will ultimately lead to more impactful and valuable outcomes than simply rushing through without thought or intention.

"The chemist who does not know how to calculate is no more than a cook."

This quote emphasizes the importance of mathematical skills in chemistry. In simple terms, it suggests that a chemist without a strong background in mathematics is limited to being a "cook" rather than a true scientist who can perform complex calculations, analyze data, and make informed predictions based on scientific principles. A deeper interpretation could be that the ability to calculate and understand mathematical concepts allows a chemist to think critically, design experiments effectively, and interpret results accurately, which are essential skills for conducting advanced chemical research.

A planar geometrical figure with more than three vertices can be decomposed into a set of triangles, and it can be reconstructed from a set of triangles.

- Vladimir Prelog

More, Set, Figure, Geometrical

The close of my studies with a degree of a Dr. Ing. in 1929 coincided with the great economic crisis, and I was not able to find an academic position. I was therefore very grateful for a position in the newly created laboratory of G.J. Driza in Prague where rare chemicals were produced on small scale.

- Vladimir Prelog

Small, Scale, Very, Newly

An object is chiral if it cannot be brought into congruence with its mirror image by translation and rotation.

- Vladimir Prelog

Mirror, Image, Brought, Translation

Many objects of our three-dimensional perceptual world are not only chiral but appear in nature in two versions, related at least ideally, as a chiral object and its mirror image.

- Vladimir Prelog

Nature, Mirror, Image, Object

The period 1924 to 1929 was spent studying chemistry at the Czech Institute of Technology in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The supervisor of my thesis was Professor Emil Votocek, one of the prominent founders of chemical research in Czechoslovakia.

- Vladimir Prelog

Chemistry, Czechoslovakia, Prague

I was born on July 23rd, 1906, in Sarajevo in the province of Bosnia, which then belonged to the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy and later, in 1918, became part of Yugoslavia.

- Vladimir Prelog

Monarchy, Which, Became, Province

For many years, when still a Yugoslav citizen, I was already a Swiss patriot, and in 1959, I obtained Swiss citizenship. However, I consider myself a world citizen, and I am very grateful to my adopted country that it allows me to be one.

- Vladimir Prelog

Country, Very, However, Adopted

To grasp the essence of chirality, it is instructive to withdraw for a moment from the familiar three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional one, into a plane, and enquire what chirality means there.

- Vladimir Prelog

Essence, Plane, Means, Familiar

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