chemistry

Günther Wilke

Günther Wilke is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Günther Wilke rather than just read about it. In short: Günther Wilke (23 February 1925 – 9 December 2016) was 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.

Key takeaways

Günther Wilke belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Günther Wilke to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Günther Wilke from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Günther Wilke (23 February 1925 – 9 December 2016) was 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. He died in 2016 at the age of 91.

Honours and awards Seven honorary doctorates corresponding member of the math and science class abroad Wilhelm Exner Medal in 1980. Former Vice President of the Max Planck Society (1978-1990) Member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Science (President 1994-1997) Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Halle Member of the Academia Europaea Foreign member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (1977) Austrian Decoration for Science and Art President of the German Chemical Society (Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker) Chairman of the Society of German Scientists and Physicians Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1987)

References

See also: https://web.archive.org/web/20080529173702/http://www.mpi-muelheim.mpg.de/kofo/english/institut/geschichte_e.html

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Günther Wilke

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Günther Wilke claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Günther Wilke before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Günther Wilke ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Günther Wilke

In research: Günther Wilke appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Günther Wilke in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Günther Wilke is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1925 births, 2016 deaths, 20th-century German chemists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Günther Wilke outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Günther Wilke in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Günther Wilke means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Günther Wilke out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Günther Wilke in simple terms?

Why does Günther Wilke matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Günther Wilke?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Günther Wilke.