Khristo Ivanov

Ivanov died on 16 February 2004 at the age of 87 after a short illness. On the occasion the 100th anniversary of hir birth a comprehensive biographical article was recently published.

In collaboration with Peter Markov, Ivanov established for the first time the possibility for metalation of CH-acidic compounds with magnesium in liquid ammonia. He attempted to clarify the structure of the prepared organomagnesium compounds and explained the obtained results with the phenomenon of metalotropy. In acknowledgement of these scientific achievements the team was given in 1979 the Prof. Asen Zlatarov Award by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Khristo Ivanov (Bulgarian: Христо Иванов) (3 May 1916 – 16 February 2004) was a Bulgarian organic chemist.

Khristo Ivanov (Bulgarian: Христо Иванов) was born on 3 May 1916 in the town of Dobrich, Bulgaria. His father Ivan Khristov was a hardware man, who died in 1918 after having fought in World War I, when Khristo Ivanov was just two. His mother, Elena Khristova, took care of her one and only son. Khristo Ivanov obtained his degree in chemistry from the Physico-Mathematical Faculty of Sofia University in 1939. After teaching Chemistry at school level in the towns of Popovo and Karlovo for a few years, he acquired the position of regular Assistant Professor at the same faculty in 1946. He specialized in the field of organic synthesis at the universities of Leipzig (1953–1954) and Moscow (1956–1957). His academic career is associated with the University of Sofia – its Physico-Mathematical Faculty and the later Faculty of Chemistry that branched off from it (1961). He received an Associate Professorship in 1957 and full Professorship and the Chair of Organic Chemistry in 1963. Ivanov was Head of the Department of Organic Chemistry from 1963 until his retirement in 1984, Vice Rector of Sofia University (1962–1968), Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry (1972–1976). He was member of the Presidium (1980–1986) and later President of the Committee of Chemical Sciences of the Higher Attestation Commission. For the contribution to the advancement of science in his research, he was awarded the Cyril-and-Methodius medal (1st degree), the People's-Republic-of-Bulgaria medal (1st degree), and the Honorary medallion with Necklace of the "St. Kliment Ohridski" University of Sofia.