On the occasion of the 100th anniversary: Ernst Späth and his mescaline synthesis of 1919

Since the mid-19th century, chemical research at the University of Vienna, especially at the IInd Chemical Institute, focused on characterizing plant ingredients. Austrian chemists discovered key reactions for identifying functional groups in organic molecules, such as Lieben's iodoform test, the Herzig–Meyer method for methylamino groups, and Zeisel's method for methoxy groups. Ernst Späth, the leading figure of the Viennese phytochemistry school, and his coworkers identified over 120 phytochemical substances. His 1919 synthesis of mescaline was a milestone in organic natural product chemistry.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Characterizing plant ingredients has been the main topic of chemical research at the University of Vienna since the beginning of the last half of the nineteenth century, especially at the IInd Chemical Institute (founded in 1870). The remarkable success in many fields of natural organic product structure elucidation was in part the result of the discovery of important identifying reactions of functional groups in organic molecules by Austrian chemists, e.g., Lieben´s iodoform test, the Herzig–Meyer´s method for the determination of methylamino groups or Zeisel´s method for the determination of methoxy groups in organic compounds. Ernst Späth was the most prominent exponent of the Viennese school of phytochemistry. He and his coworkers identified more than 120 phytochemical substances. His mescaline synthesis of 1919 has marked a milestone in the chemistry of organic natural products.