Friedrich Hermann Leuchs (8 August 1879 – 2 May 1945) was a German chemist.
Life
Leuchs studied chemistry at the University of Munich from 1898. He transferred to the University of Berlin and received his PhD there in 1902 under
Emil Fischer. He steadily advanced in the hierarchy of the university, becoming a lecturer in 1910, assistant professor in 1914, and full professor in 1916. The ministry of education assured him that he would succeed
Wilhelm Schlenk as head of the chemistry institute of the University of Berlin, but this never happened. His personality became strongly
misanthropy. The
Nazi regime, World War II and the destruction of Berlin increased his psychological problems, and shortly before the war ended he committed suicide in his flat in Berlin. This happened most likely on 2 May 1945 (two days after the suicide of Adolf Hitler). He was buried in a mass grave with numerous soldiers and citizens.
Work
Leuchs's research dealt with the chemistry of
and the chemistry of
strychnine. The
Leuchs reaction and the
Leuchs anhydride were named after him.
