# Hugo Weidel

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**Hugo Weidel** (13 November 1849 – 7 June 1899) was a [chemist](/source/Chemist) from [Austria-Hungary](/source/Austria-Hungary) known for inventing Weidel's reaction and describing the structure of the organic compound [nicotinic acid](/source/Nicotinic_acid) (niacin). For his achievements, Weidel received the [Lieben Prize](/source/Lieben_Prize) in 1880.

## Life and work

Hugo Weidel was born in Vienna in 1849. He studied at the [Vienna University of Technology](/source/Vienna_University_of_Technology) with [Heinrich Hlasiwetz](/source/Heinrich_Hlasiwetz). He later moved to the [University of Heidelberg](/source/University_of_Heidelberg), Germany, and obtained a Ph.D. degree there in 1870. After returning to Vienna, Weidel became assistant of Hlasiwetz in 1871. During that time, he started his research on oxidation products of [cinchonine](/source/Cinchonine) and [nicotine](/source/Nicotine) [alkaloids](/source/Alkaloid). He became a lecturer at the university in 1874, and, after [Ludwig Barth von Barthenau](/source/Ludwig_Barth_von_Barthenau) became the chair of the department, Weidel could intensify his research on alkaloids. Although the oxidation of nicotine was already known, Weidel was the first to isolate large enough amounts to determine the properties of the material.[1] That work earned him the [Lieben Prize](/source/Lieben_Prize) in 1880.[2] In 1886, Weidel became a professor of [agricultural chemistry](/source/Agricultural_chemistry) at the [pedology](/source/Pedology_(soil_study)) institute in Vienna. Most of his time there was occupied by lecturing and educating students. After the retirement of von Barth in 1891, he returned to his previous institute and assumed the position of full professor.

In 1890, Weidel became a member of the [Austrian Academy of Sciences](/source/Austrian_Academy_of_Sciences) and in 1898 he received the Decoration of the Iron Crown of the emperor of Austria.

## Death

Without any sign of illness, he delivered his lecture on the morning of June 7, 1899, but died after a few hours from a heart problem.[3]

## References

1. Weidel, H (1873). ["Zur Kenntniss des Nicotins"](https://zenodo.org/record/1427317). *[Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie](/source/Justus_Liebigs_Annalen_der_Chemie_und_Pharmacie)*. **165** (2): 330–349. [doi:10.1002/jlac.18731650212](https://doi.org/10.1002/jlac.18731650212)

1. ["Ignaz Lieben-Preisträger 1880: Hugo Weidel"](http://www.zbp.univie.ac.at/ilg/preistraegerbild06.htm). Retrieved 2010-03-08. [dead link]

1. Herzig, Josef (1899). ["Obituary: Hugo Weidel"](https://zenodo.org/record/1425948). *[Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft](/source/Berichte_der_deutschen_chemischen_Gesellschaft)*. **32** (3): 3745–3755. [doi:10.1002/cber.189903203169](https://doi.org/10.1002/cber.189903203169)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hugo Weidel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Weidel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Weidel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.