Leonidas Zervas

Leonidas Zervas
Λεωνίδας Ζέρβας
Born(1902-05-21)21 May 1902
Megalopolis, Greece
Died10 July 1980(1980-07-10) (aged 78)
Athens, Greece
NationalityGreek
Alma materUniversity of Athens
University of Berlin
Known forCarboxybenzyl protecting group, Peptide synthesis
SpouseHildegard Lange
Awards
  • Member of the Academy of Athens (1956)
  • Honorary Membership of the American Society of Biological Chemists (1969)
  • Order of Scientific Merit (1st class) of the SR of Romania (1976)
  • Foreign Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1976)
  • Max Bergmann Golden Medal (1981)
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic chemistry
Institutions
Thesis Über die Aldehydverbindungen der Aminosäuren [a]  (1926)
Doctoral advisorMax Bergmann
Notable studentsPanayotis Katsoyannis
Iphigenia Photaki

Leonidas Zervas (Greek: Λεωνίδας Ζέρβας, pronounced [leoˈniðas ˈzervas]; 21 May 1902 – 10 July 1980) was a Greek organic chemist who made seminal contributions in peptide chemical synthesis.[1][2][3][4] Together with his mentor Max Bergmann they laid the foundations for the field in 1932 with their major discovery, the Bergmann-Zervas carboxybenzoxy oligopeptide synthesis which remained unsurpassed in utility for the next two decades.[1][2] The carboxybenzyl protecting group he discovered is often abbreviated Z in his honour.[1]

Throughout his life Zervas also served in many important posts, including President of the Academy of Athens or briefly Minister of Industry of Greece.[2][4] He received numerous awards and honours during his life and posthumously, such as Foreign Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences or the first Max Bergmann golden medal.[1][2][3][5]


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  1. ^ a b c d Katsoyannis, P. G., ed. (1973). The Chemistry of Polypeptides. New York: Plenum Press. doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-4571-8. ISBN 978-1-4613-4571-8. S2CID 35144893.
  2. ^ a b c d Vourvidou-Photaki, I. (December 1981). "Biographical statement and scientific work of the late Academician & Professor of Organic Chemistry Leonidas Zervas". Laboratory of Physical Chemistry (in Greek). University of Athens, Department of Chemistry. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Theodorakopoulos, I.; Tsatsas, G. (1981). "Dedication to Prof. L. Zervas (from the Minutes of the Academy of Athens)". Laboratory of Organic Chemistry (in Greek). University of Athens, Department of Chemistry. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Zervas, Leonidas (1902–1980)". Digital Archive of the Academy of Athens. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).