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Chemist, scientific area: inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry, macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry
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Academician Nicolae Garbalau graduated from the Faculty of Chemistry of the State University in Chisinau (1954). Between 1958-1961 he studied for a doctorate at the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. He was a disciple of acad. Antonie Ablov. He worked as a junior scientific researcher (1961), and then as scientific researcher in the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry of the Institute of Chemistry (1965).
In 1964, Nicolae Garbalau brilliantly defended doctoral thesis (candidate in science), during the meeting of the Scientific Council of the State University of Chisinau, and in 1973 - the doctor habilitate thesis in chemical sciences, in Moscow.
Between 1972 and 1978 he was the Head of the Department of Inorganic Chemistry of the State University of Moldova. In 1978 he took over the scientific and organizational management of the Laboratory of Chemistry of Coordination Compounds of the Institute of Chemistry of the ASM, founded by his teacher (a position he held until 2006). He was deputy director for scientific activity (1978-1988) and director of the Institute of Chemistry (1995-2003). In 1993 he was elected a corresponding member, and in 1995 - a full member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova.
Academician Nicolae Garbalau is the founder of the Scientific School in the field of coordination chemistry, chemistry of macrocyclic and supramolecular compounds. Through his research he contributed to the original solution of the problem of synthesis of organic and coordination compounds by using, along with traditional procedures, new methods - template synthesis of species, topochemical reactions, polymerization of coordinating compounds in gaseous state, inert solvents, etc.
He developed methods for obtaining metal-macrocyclic compounds and their predecessors, polynuclear and supramolecular materials with useful properties in microelectronics, optics, textile industry, biology, medicine, agriculture, etc; has widely applied molecular, electronic, nuclear and mass spectroscopy, X-ray studies, magneto- and thermochemistry, etc. for determining the composition, structure and properties of the obtained compounds; contributed to the use of the compounds obtained for the preparation of extrapure metals and their use as modifiers of chemical reactions (catalysts for the solidification of epoxy resins, for dyeing fabrics, inhibitors of corrosion processes); obtained specific dyes for plastics and polyacrylamide fibers, materials with specific magnetic properties, molecular magnets, substances for medical-biological applications, etc.
Academician Nicolae Garbalau published four monographs: Reactions on matrices (1980); Mass spectrometry of coordinating compounds (1984, in colaboration); Template synthesis of macrocyclic compounds (1990, in colaboration); Template Synthesis of Macrocyclic Compounds (1999, in colaboration) and over 600 scientific studies and articles. He holds 32 patents.
Through the scientific guidance and direction of prof. Garbalau, over 20 doctoral theses and two doctor habilitate theses in chemical sciences were prepared and defended. His disciples work in research laboratories and universities in the Republic of Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, USA, France, Italy, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Vietnam, etc.
Acad. Nicolae Garbalau was a member of the European Council for Mass Spectroscopy, of the European Association "Euroscience", of the Directorate of the International Union of Crystallographers, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Conference "Physical methods for research of coordinative and supramolecular compounds" (1993 -2006), which takes place in Chisinau every three years. He holds the title Doctor Honoris Causa of the West University of Timisoara.
He is a laureate of the State Award of the ASM Presidium. He was decorated with the Order "Gloria Muncii" and with the Medal "N. S. Kurnakov ”(Russia).
Academician Nicolae Garbalau is a well-known personality in the field of inorganic and coordination chemistry, recognized and highly appreciated worldwide. International recognition is based on the versatility of research conducted at the School of Science in the field of coordination chemistry, chemistry of macrocyclic and supramolecular compounds, modern and well-argued conclusions, documentation of elaborations and reproducibility of results, a level that has been demonstrated by inclusion in research teams in projects funded through international programs NATO, INTAS, CRDF, SCOPES, MRDA.
In memoriam
The name of acad. Nicolae Garbalau was immortalized with the help of the Academy of Sciences by inaugurating a commemorative plaque located on the facade of the building of the Institute of Chemistry, where the scientist spent more than half of his life. The commemorative plaque was placed next to two other plaques - that of the founder of the academic school of chemistry in Moldova, the first director of the Institute of Chemistry - Anton Ablov, who, in fact, inspired the scientist's interest in developing this scientific field and that of Gheorghe Lazurievski, founder of the school of organic and bioorganic chemistry.
The Prize of ASM “Nicolae GĂRBĂLĂU” in the field of chemistry was established by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova.
In 2010, an annual scholarship was established for the best PdD student in chemistry - "Academician Nicolae Gărbălău Scholarship".
References
Revenco M. Honoring Professor Nicolae Gerbeleu. Reviews in Inorganic Chemistry, 2001, 21, 3-4. https://doi.org/10.1515/REVIC.2001.21.3-4.161
Profesorii Universităţii d Stat din Moldova. Dicţionar Istorico-biografic. Chişinău, 2001, p. 92.
Vărăceanu I. Academicianul Nicolae Gărbălău - savant cu renume mondial. Moldova suverană, nr. 127, 1996.
Anton I. Valenţa erudiţiei. Făclia, nr. 33, 1991.
Anton I. Cultura ecologică este de neconceput fără o cultură chimică elevată. Literatura şi Arta, nr. 35, 1991.
Marco Affronte, Stefano Carretta, Grigore A. Timco and Richard E. P. Winpenny. A ring cycle: studies of heterometallic wheels. Chem. Commun., 2007, issue 18, 1789–1797.
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