Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff Jr.
Van 't Hoff by Nicola Perscheid in 1904
Born	(1852-08-30)30 August 1852 Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died	1 March 1911(1911-03-01) (aged 58) Steglitz, Berlin, German Empire
Nationality	Dutch
Alma mater	Delft University of Technology University of Leiden University of Bonn University of Paris University of Utrecht
Known for	One of the founders of stereochemistry and physical chemistry Modern concept of chemical affinity Predicting the structure of tetrahedral carbon atom (asymmetric carbon) Predicting the existence of chiral allenes Stereoisomerism Chemical thermodynamics Chemical kinetics Chemical equilibrium Osmotic pressure Van 't Hoff equation Van 't Hoff factor Le Bel–Van 't Hoff rule
Awards	Davy Medal (1893) Pour le Mérite (1895) ForMemRS (1897)[1] Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1901) Helmholtz Medal (1911)
Scientific career
Fields	Physical chemistry Organic chemistry Theoretical chemistry
Institutions	Veterinary College in Utrecht University of Amsterdam University of Berlin
Doctoral advisor	Eduard Mulder[2]
Doctoral students	Ernst Cohen
Other notable students	Frederick G. Donnan

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff Jr. (Dutch: [vɑn (ə)t ˈɦɔf]; 30 August 1852 – 1 March 1911) was a Dutch physical chemist. A highly influential theoretical chemist of his time, van 't Hoff was the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.^[3][4][5] His pioneering work helped found the modern theory of chemical affinity, chemical equilibrium, chemical kinetics, and chemical thermodynamics. In his 1874 pamphlet, van 't Hoff formulated the theory of the tetrahedral carbon atom and laid the foundations of stereochemistry. In 1875, he predicted the correct structures of allenes and cumulenes as well as their axial chirality.^[6] He is also widely considered one of the founders of physical chemistry as the discipline is known today.^[7][8][9]