From catalytic hydrogenation to the chemical theory of the catalysis: Paul Sabatier, genius chemist, decentralization apostle.

Paul Sabatier received the aggregation degree in the physical science in 1877 and received his doctorate in the physical science in 1880. In 1884, he was named to the chair of chemistry at Toulouse, when he was thirty, the minimum age for the position. Sabatier's initial researches were inorganic studies within the thermochemical tradition of Berthelot`s laboratory. The Mend's preparation of nickel carbonyl instigated him to study gaseous molecules: which might behave analogously to carbon monoxide: he succeeded in 1892 in fixing nitrogen peroxyde on copper, cobalt, nickel and iron. One year later he repeated the experience of Moissan and Moureu with unsaturated hydrocarbons and reduced nickel: he found that ethylene and acetylene were hydrogenated. With his student, j.-B. Sendert ns, he demonstrated the generality of his method to the hydrogenation of non-saturated and aromatic compounds, ketones, aldehydes, phenol, nitriles, nitrites, etc. In contrast of previous physical theories, Sabatier postulated that, in catalysis, a temporary, unstable intermediary between the catalyst and one of the reactants forms on the surface of the catalyst. He predicted the reversibility of the reaction: a catalyst of hydrogenation will be equally one of dehydrogenation. He was awarded the 1912 Nobel Prize in the same time with Victor Grignard. Paul Sabatier was 3 very reserved man. Elected Professor of chemistry at Toulouse in 1884, he was ever faithful to this town and turned down many offers of attractive positions in Paris. In 1913, he became the first scientist elected to one of six chairs newly created by the Academy for provincial members. (C) 2000 Academie des sciences/ Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.