A. M. Butlerov, an academician, the founder of the theory of organic compounds structure, who laid down the foundation for the contemporary organic chemistry. He was born in a small village in Spassky Uyezd of Kazan province.

A. M. Butlerov got interested in natural science very early. He made chemical experiments even in gymnasia, being fond of collecting plants and butterflies.

Having finished the gymnasia at the age of 16, Butlerov entered the Natural Department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kazan University.

Butlerov was equally interested in different natural sciences and took part in many expeditions. Professors of Chemistry K. K. Klaus and N. N. Zinin paid attention to his intellect. With Zinin’s help Butlerov equipped home laboratory and synthesized such compounds there as caffeine, isatine, nitro-benzene, benzidine and others.

In 1849 A, M. Butlerov graduated from the university and was recommended by K. K. Klaus to be prepared for the post of Chemistry Department professor. He was commissioned for giving lectures on many disciplines, including those, which were not connected with chemistry. At the same time he did his researches. In 1851 he got Master’s Degree for his thesis “Organic Compounds Oxidation”.

He got Doctor’s Degree for his excellent thesis “Ether Oils” in Moscow University in 1853.

In 1957 Butlerov was elected a professor of the Kazan University. The same year he went to his first scientific business trip to Paris, where during a year he worked in Vurtz’s laboratory. It was in the laboratory, where iodic methylene was obtained for the first time.

Having returned to Kazan, Butlerov reequipped chemical laboratory and for three years (1858-1861) intensively worked there, studying the derivatives of iodic methylene. The substance was the source of his numerous discoveries. Thus, he firstly obtained the synthetic sugar substance of the carbohydrate, the first polymer substance paraphormaldehide, and nitrogen compound hecsa-methylen-tetramine, which is known as the medicine urothropine.

Even in the beginning of the 1869th Butlerov outlined a new trend of his researches, the development of the theory of chemical structure. In 1861 during the one-year trip overseas, at the Congress of German Natural Scientists and Physicians he made a report “Chemical Structure of Substances”, where he explained the fundamentals of this theory.

Having published his book on the new theory, Butlerov came to conclusion, that new facts are necessary for its recognition and conformation, the facts, which are resulted from it. So he began doing numerous researches and making experiments. The main output of this work was, first of all, famous Butlerov trimethylcarbinole synthesis, the first example of the tertiary alcohols class. Then he obtained a number of tri-methyl-carbinole homologues, and at the same time fixed the first case of isomer phenomenon in the class of tertiary spirits. He discovered, that methyl-ethyl-carbinole is an isomer of dimethyl-propil-carbinole.

Butlerov’s published work “Introduction to Complete Study of organic Chemistry” in Russian and German in 1864 and 1868 correspondently was of great importance for chemists.

During the period form 1860 to 1863 Butlerov was twice appointed to the post of acting rector of the Kazan University. Butlerov found rector’s duties extremely burdensome. In June 1863 despite passionate requests of his colleagues he left the rector’s post.

In spring 1868 during his third business trip abroad the Council of St. Petersburg University elected him an ordinary professor of Chemistry Department by D. I. Mendeleyev’s recommendation. . In early 1869 Butlerov moved to Petersburg and on January 23 gave his first lecture. The Council of the Kazan University elected him an honorary member of the University on February 22, 1869.

Investigations of the Petersburg period are the continuation of his work in Kazan. The researches, Butlerov had done in Kazan, laid down the foundations for many syntheses, which now are of great practical interest.

In 1874 Butlerov was elected an ordinary academician. For three years he was the Chairman of Russian Chemical Society.

Butlerov died during his holiday in his estate Butlerovka of Spassky Uyezd in Kazanskaya Gubernia (Kazan province); he was buried there.