Il'ya Il'ich Chernyaev (1893–1966): Some Recollections of his Work and Personality

ON 4 March 1926 a thirty-three-year-old Russian chemist presented a paper1 before the Section on Chemistry of the Russian Physical-Chemical Society, in which he outlined what he called the trans effect. Thus the year 1976 marks the fiftieth anniversary of one of the most fundamental and fruitful principles of synthetic inorganic chemistry as well as the tenth anniversary of the death of its discoverer, the late Academician Il'ya Il'ich Chernyaev (21 Jan., 1893-30 Sept., 1966), one of the Soviet Union's most distinguished scientists. On this occasion we shall briefly present some recollections of Chernyaev's work and personality.