The 1969 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Odd Hassel for his foundational research into the three-dimensional geometry of molecules. By systematically investigating ring-shaped carbon structures, he challenged the prevailing belief that such molecules existed on a single plane, fundamentally shifting the understanding of molecular conformation and interatomic bonding mechanisms.
Academic Formation and Early Research
Born in 1897 in Christiania, Hassel entered the University of Oslo in 1915 to study mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Under the mentorship of Victor Goldschmidt and Heinrich Jacob Goldschmidt, he completed his initial studies in 1920. Following a period in Munich working with Kasimir Fajans on absorption indicators, he moved to Berlin. At the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, supported by a Rockefeller Fellowship and the assistance of Fritz Haber, he specialized in X-ray crystallography and secured his PhD from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in 1924.
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In 1925, Hassel returned to his alma mater, the University of Oslo, where he remained until 1964. Promoted to professor in 1934, he introduced local scientific circles to advanced concepts such as electron diffraction and electric dipole moments. His tenure was interrupted in October 1943 during the occupation of Norway, when he was arrested by Nasjonal Samling authorities. He spent over a year in detention camps until his release in November 1944.
Molecular Conformation Discoveries
Beginning in 1930, Hassel shifted his focus toward molecular structure, specifically analyzing cyclohexane and its derivatives. He utilized the relationship between carbon and hydrogen bond numbers to prove that ring-shaped carbon molecules occupy three-dimensional space. This rigorous approach to structural chemistry provided the empirical evidence required to establish the modern concept of molecular conformation, a contribution that eventually earned him international recognition.
Awards and Legacy
Beyond the 1969 Nobel Prize, which he shared with Derek Barton, Hassel received numerous accolades including the Guldberg-Waage Medal, the Gunnerus Medal, and the Centenary Prize. He held honorary degrees from Stockholm University and the University of Copenhagen. A member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, he was also appointed a Knight of the Order of St. Olav in 1960. He died in 1981 and is buried at Vår Frelsers gravlund.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Christiania, Norway
- Died: 1981, Oslo, Norway
- PhD: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 1924
- Professor, University of Oslo: 1934–1964
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 1969
- Knight of the Order of St. Olav: 1960
- Buried: Vår Frelsers gravlund
Questions readers ask
What was the core contribution of Odd Hassel to chemistry?
He established that ring-shaped carbon molecules, such as cyclohexane, possess a three-dimensional structure rather than existing on a single plane.
Did Hassel hold any academic roles outside of Norway?
He studied and conducted research in Germany at the University of Munich and the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin before returning to the University of Oslo.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry — 1969
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
- Held posts at University of Oslo
- Educated at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and University of Oslo
- Fields of research: physical chemistry
