Günther Wilke

Who is Günther Wilke?

Günther Wilke is a German chemist who was influential in organometallic chemistry. He was the director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research from 1967–1992, succeeding Karl Ziegler in that post. During Wilke’s era, the MPI made several discoveries and achieved some financial independence from patents and a gift from the Ziegler family. The institute continued as a center of excellence in organometallic chemistry.

Wilke’s own area of interest focused on homogeneous catalysis by nickel complexes. His group discovered or developed several compounds including Ni2, Ni2, Ni(C2H4)3. Some of these complexes are useful catalysts for the oligomerization of dienes.