Achim Müller

Achim Müller (14 February 1938 – 28 February 2024) was a German inorganic chemist. Mainly as a professor at Bielefeld University, he contributed extensively to the chemistry of molybdenum oxides and sulfides. He died on 28 February 2024, at the age of 86.

Research contributions Oxide clusters In the area of polyoxometalates,Polyoxometalate Chemistry: An Old Field with New Dimensions in Several Disciplines, M. T. Pope, A. Müller, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 1991, 30, 34. he claimed to have identified the structure of one form of molybdenum blue.Soluble Molybdenum blues - "des Pudels Kern", A. Müller, C. Serain, Acc. Chem. Res., 2000, 33, 2.a) A Nanosized Molybdenum Oxide Wheel with a Unique Electronic-Necklace Structure: STM Study with Submolecular Resolution, D. Zhong, F. L. Sousa, A. Müller, L. Chi, H. Fuchs, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2011, 50, 7018; b) From Scheele and Berzelius to Müller: Polyoxometalates (POMs) revisited and the "missing link" between the bottom up and top down approaches, P. Gouzerh, M. Che, l’actualité chimique, 2006, June Issue, No. 298, 9.

His later research related mainly to the synthesis of spherical porous metal oxide nanocapsules Mo132 Keplerates. He also investigated isopolyoxovanadates has provided some of the most instructive examples of host-guest inorganic chemistry, leading to the recognition that a polyoxometalate is a supramolecular species involving a negatively charged host cage and a negatively charged encapsulated guest, and hence opening a new era in polyoxometalate chemistry. The template self-organization of an ”electronically inverse host” around a negatively charged guest might seem somewhat puzzling: According to theoretical studies, this follows from the fact that electrostatic repulsion is overcome by maximizing the molecular electrostatic potential at the guest.

His later research related mainly to bottom-up pathways towards tailor-made spherical porous metal oxide Mo132 "Keplerates", wheel-shaped cluster Mo154,(Refs. Polyoxomolybdate Clusters: Giant Wheels and Balls, A. Müller, S. K. Das, E. Krickemeyer, C. Kuhlmann (checked by: M. Sadakane, M. H. Dickman, M. T. Pope), Inorganic Syntheses, Editor J. R. Shapley, 2004, 34, 191.) and hedgehog-shaped cluster Mo368.Molecular growth from a Mo176 to a Mo248 cluster, A. Müller, S. Q. N. Shah, H. Bögge, M. Schmidtmann, Nature, 1999, 397, 48.).

Sulfides Müller also reported many new types of transition metal sulphur compounds. He had also strong interest in history and philosophy of science.For example: a) Die inhärente Potentialität materieller (chemischer) Systeme, A. Müller, Philosophia naturalis , 1998, Bd. 35, Heft 2, 333; b) Naturgesetzlichkeiten – Chemie lediglich ein Bereich zwischen Physik und biologischem Geschehen? A. Müller, Philosophia naturalis , 2000, Bd. 37, Heft 2, 351; c) Chemie und Ästhetik - die Formenvielfalt der Natur als Ausdruck ihrer Kreativität, A. Müller, ZiF (Center for Interdisciplinary Research), Mitteilungen , 1999, 4, 7; d) Science, Society, and Hopes of a Renaissance Utopist, A. Müller, Science & Society , 2000, 1, 23.

Academic career Achim Müller studied chemistry and physics at the University of Göttingen and received there his PhD degree (1965) and the Habilitation (1967). In 1971, he became professor at the University of Dortmund and in 1977 professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Bielefeld University. In 2006 he was awarded the Manchot-Forschungsprofessur of the Technical University of Munich.

Personal life Müller enjoyed ancient Greek philosophy, classical music, and mountain hiking. He had a passion for woodland birds from his early childhood, a pastime which his father cherished also. In his professional life, he was attentive to recognition.Like Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Welt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Handelsblatt, Göttinger Tagesblatt, The Hindu, El Pais, Gazeta Wyborcza, Situs Kimia Indonesia, Times of India, Science in Siberia, Scientific American, American Mathematical Society, New Scientist, Chemistry World, Chemistry in Britain, Materials Today, Spektrum der Wissenschaft, Bild der Wissenschaft, Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau, Chem. i. u. Zeit, La Recherche, Der Spiegel. For details see and Reference 6 c) Mitteilungen

Recognition Member, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Member, Polish Academy of Sciences Member, The Indian National Science Academy Member, National Academy of Exact Physical and Natural Sciences in Argentina Member, Academia Europaea. Honorary degrees: Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, National University of La Plata. Alfred Stock Memorial Prize 2000 Prix Gay-Lussac/Humboldt 2001 Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Prize 2001 Centenary Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry 2008/9, London. Honorary Fellow of the Chemical Research Society of India.

Achim Müller

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