1912 in Science - Chemistry

Chemistry

• Peter Debye derives the T-cubed law for the low temperature heat capacity of a nonmetallic solid.
• Casimir Funk introduces the concept of vitamins.
• Frans, a German chemist working for Griesheim-Elektron, patents a means of producing vinyl chloride from acetylene and hydrogen chloride using mercuric chloride as a catalyst.
• Fritz Klatte discovers polyvinyl acetate, and applies for a patent for its preparation from acetylene gas although it is not successfully commercialized at this time.
• Wilbur Scoville devises the Scoville scale for measuring the heat of peppers.
• December 24 – Merck files patent applications for synthesis of the entactogenic drug MDMA, developed by Anton Köllisch.