Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

The scientist - chemist Yusif Heydar oglu Mammadaliyev was born in 1905 in the town of Ordubad of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. After receiving his early education at home, he went to school in a new type of Ordubad. In 1918 he moved with his family to the city of Tabriz, where he studied in the 7-year-old school Rushdiyya. In 1920, Yusif Mammadaliyev laid the foundation of the first school for girls in Nakhchivan.

In 1923 he entered the Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute, and in 1924-1926 continued his education at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. In 1926, Yusif Mammadaliyev was sent to be a teacher in Ganja, and in 1928 in Irevan. In 1929 he entered the Moscow State University. After completing his studies he stayed at the university. He took part in the development process of valuable chemical products from petroleum gases at the laboratory and their practical application.

In 1932, by order of the Central Committee, he was appointed head of the department of chemistry of Ganja Agricultural Academy. Working in Moscow, a scientist conducting research in the field of production of valuable chemical products from petroleum gas, first proposed the idea of synthetic rubber from oil gases, and in 1933 published a scientific work "Preparation of ethyl alcohol from oil gases." Published in 1934 in Azerbaijan, his article "Problems of artificial rubber”, he substantiated the possibility of creating synthetic rubber in our republic.

Since 1934, Yusif Mammadaliyev worked an assistant professor, professor and then head of the department of chemistry and oil in the Azerbaijan State University.

In 1938, the Moscow State University without defending a thesis awarded him the title of Candidate of Chemical Sciences.

In 1939-1940, Yusif Mammadaliyev’s scientific research put to fore a military theme. At the beginning of the war, he developed the material with a special composition for the production of Molotov cocktails against tanks.

At the end of 1941 with the creation of the Department of Chemical Technology of the central problems of the All-Union Council of the Azerbaijan branch of the USSR Yusif Mammadaliyev was appointed its chairman.

In September 1942, in a difficult period for the country, he defended his doctoral thesis in Baku on "Synthesis of alkylation and dealkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons toluene", which affected one of the most important problems of modern chemistry - toluene synthesis problem. The compositions resulting from these syntheses are essential to improve motor fuel quality in aviation and military industries.

For providing front aviation via fuel Yusif Mammadaliyev was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1942, and in the end of 1945 – the Stalin Prize.

In 1945, Yusif Mamedaliyev was appointed an active member of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR, member of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Oil Academy. He was the first academician in Azerbaijan in the field of chemistry. Creation of the Institute of Oil and Petrochemical Processes of the Academy of Sciences and the Oil Department of the Azerbaijan State University are associated with his name.

In 1958, the newly elected president of the Academy Y.Mammadaliyev worked in this position until the end of life. He was also elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in "Organic Chemistry".

One of its inestimable merits for world science was the creation of fuel for strategic missiles in 1950.

Scientist had been Academician-Secretary of the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Oil of Azerbaijan SSR in 1954-1958, was defined a rector of the Baku State University.

Academician was famous as the founder of the Institute of Petrochemical Processes of ANAS in our country, as well as the founder of "Petrochemical, oil refining and organic synthetic chemistry of polymers” throughout the world.

As the author of more than 200 fundamental scientific works and 6 monographs, Academician Yusif Mammadaliyev trained 36 doctors and PhDs, a worthy representative of our country in international conferences and symposiums, and also a great philanthropist. He was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (the fourth convocation, 1955-1958) and the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR (the fifth legislature, 1958-1961).

Chemist, Doctor of chemical sciences, Professor, Academician and President of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan SSR, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, USSR State Prize Winner Yusif Mammadaliyev died December 15, 1961 in Baku. He was buried in the Alley of Honor.