The Department of Organic Chemistry had been detached from the Department of General and Industrial Chemistry before it was found in 1928. The new Department headed a famous Polish chemist Prof. Edward Sucharda (1891-1947), who had worked at the above mentioned Department. Edward Sucharda having been held the Department, he was Rector of Lviv Polytechnic during 1937-1939. The scientific trend of the Department of Organic Chemistry from the outset was connected with current requirements of industry, mainly with the synthesis and investigation of pyridine-containing indigo dyes, and the chemistry of terpenes. The existence of the Department was paused by WW II beginning.
Prof. E. Sucharda (1891-1947)
From 1944, under the leadership of Assistant D. Tolopko (1922-1990), the pedagogical and scientific activity of the Department was gradually restored. He did much to rehabilitate the Department during the first post-war years, to form its material and technical basis, to establish the pedagogical process and to develop the scientific investigations, first of all in the field of organic compound oxidation.
Prof. D. Tolopko (1912-1990)
From 1946 until 1972 the Department headed the world known scientist Prof. T. Yurzhenko. He was the very person who founded the scientific trend of the Department: «Polyfunctional Peroxidic Modifiers and Polymeric Composite Materials.» In due course it was merited universal acknowledgement. Under Prof. Yurzhenko’s leadership for the first time in the world was synthesized the new class of compounds: unsaturated peroxides able to polymerization and copolymerization which became known as «Peroxidic monomers.» In 1958 at the Department was created the Problematic Laboratory for the synthesis of new materials; the staff included 10-12 Candidates of Science, many young scientists and students.
Prof. T. Yurzhenko (1905-1973)
Prof. V. Puchyn (1918-2011) headed the Department during 1972-1988.He made an essential contribution into the elaboration of the theoretical basics of the synthesis and chemical modification of polymers and composites on the basis of organic peroxides («Research on the unsaturated polymerizable organic peroxides as polymer modifiers,» 1970).
Prof. V. Puchyn (1918-2011)
This investigation made a valuable contribution to the school of thought of the Department. A share in the development of the school of thought did Professors L. Chuyko («Research on the synthesis, crosslinking, and application of peroxide-containing oligomers, resins, and latexes,» 1980), M. Dykyi («Development of the methods of synthesis, properties, and application of functional aralkyl peroxides,» 1988), V. Fedorova («Functional peroxyesters of polycarboxylic acids,» 1991), M. Bratychak («Synthesis, properties, and application of oligomers and aliphatic azodinitrile compounds with peroxy and epoxy groups,» 1990), who defended their doctor dissertations in the framework of the scientific trend of the Department.
Doctor of Science, Prof. S. Voronov has been holding the Department since 1988. The new class of polyreactive polymers had been created on the basis of peroxidic monomers which became known as «heterofunctional peroxides.» The synthesis of such peroxidic compounds permitted to create reactive initiating systems for the functionalizing (peroxidizing) of the interfaces and the formation of polymeric nanolayers with special properties: biocidity, biocompatibility, electroconductivity, ect. This permitted to construct composites and biocompatible biodegradable polymeric materials and stimulated the further development of the school of thought of the Department. Doctor dissertations defended S. Minko («Radical polymerization at the liquid — solid interface,» 1993), V. Shybanov («Synthesis of photoinitiators and solid photopolymerizable materials,» 1993), V. Tokarev («Interfacial reactions of functional oligomers, as a method for creation of nanolayers and composite materials,» 2006), V. Samaryk («Modification of polymer surfaces using polyperoxides,» 2009), O. Hevus («Functional surface active peroxides and monomers as reagents for obtaining reactive modifiers of surface,» 2010), O. Budishevska («Polymeranalogic conversion of polyanhydride and chitosan for creating selforganization of polymeric systems,» 2011), S. Varvarenko («Aminofunctional polyesters of natural dibasic amino acids and polyether diols,» 2013), A. Zaichenko («The synthesis of surface-active oligoperoxides, oligoperoxide metal complexes for obtaining functional nano- and microcomposites,» 2014), A. Kohut («Synthesis of invertible and reactive amphiphilic polymers and development of micellar structures based on them,» 2015).
The function of Specialized Scientific Council D 35.052.01 that has been working over 50 years with the participation of leading scientists fron the Department also favors to develop the school of thought. Up to the present S. Voronov (Chairman of the Council), O. Budishevska (the Council Scientific Secretary), V. Tokarev, V. Samaryk, O. Hevus, S. Varvarenko are the members of the Council. The collective of the Department maintains contacts with many academic and scientific institutions in Ukraine, cooperates and has common publications with many scientific institutions abroad. The investigations of the Department of Organic Chemistry gained a high scientific reputation and international recognition.
Since 2004 the Department for the first time in Ukraine has begun specialized training in «Chemical Technology of Food Additives and Cosmetics.» Such specialists are applied at the enterprises that manufacture food additives and of food and cosmetics industry; as well as at agencies which control the quality of correspondent production. The course of «Organic Chemistry» is lectured together with the following courses: «Technology of Food Additives and Cosmetics,» «Chemistry, Technology and Application of Food Additives,» «Chemistry of Natural Compounds,» «Sensor and Physico-Chemical Analysis of Food and Cosmetics,» «Chemistry and Technology of Cosmetics,» etc. During last years, several textbooks and handbooks have been published.
Graduates of the speciality «Chemical Technology of Food Additives and Cosmetics» (2010). Head of the Organic Chemistry Department Prof. S. Voronov
The first Bachelors of Science graduated in 2008, and Specialists in 2009. Three years later, Masters of Science graduated. At present 10-12 persons a year receive Master of Science degree. Over 20 graduates form the Department (Masters and Candidates of Science) work permanently or temporarily at leading scientific institutions of the USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, etc.
During last five years the Department is annually awarded with Diplomas of Lviv Polytechnic National University for considerable achievements in education and scientific work.