Academician Pavel Vlad

Biography
Date and Place of Birth:
Born on June 6, 1936, in the village of Lipnic, Soroca County (now Ocnița District), Republic of Moldova. He passed away on March 24, 2017, in Chișinău.

Education:
 - He graduated from Lipnic Secondary School in 1953.
 -  He was admitted to the Faculty of Chemistry at the State University of Chișinău, graduating in 1958.
 -  He pursued his doctoral studies (1958–1961) under the guidance of Academician Gheorghe Lazurievski, defending his doctoral thesis in 1964 on the topic “Stereochemistry of some diterpenoids from the labdane group.”
 - He obtained the title of Doctor Habilitate in Chemistry in 1984, with the thesis “Research on labdane diterpenoids.”

Professional Career:
 -  He began his scientific activity at the Institute of Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (1961).
 -  He served as Deputy Director (1974) and later as Director of the Institute of Chemistry (1975–1995).
 -  He held the position of Vice President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (1995–2004).
 -  He led the Laboratory of Terpenoid Chemistry from 1977 to 2010.
 - He was awarded the title of university professor in 1990.
 - He was elected Corresponding Member (1989) and later Full Member (1992) of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova.

Research Areas and Major Contributions
• Fields of Specialization:
Organic chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, chemistry of natural and physiologically active compounds.

• Scientific Contributions:
- Founded the scientific school of organic and bioorganic chemistry in the Republic of Moldova.
- Developed general methods for determining the absolute configuration of labdane diterpenoids, elucidating the stereochemistry of over 200 compounds.
- Developed synthesis methods for norlabdane and drimane compounds.
- Synthesized perhydronaphthofuran and perhydroindenopyran derivatives with amber-like fragrance, relevant to the perfume and cosmetics industries.
- Proposed innovative methods for transforming terpenoids into bi-, tri-, and tetracyclic compounds.

Discoveries and Innovations
• The Vlad-Ungur Reaction:
 Together with his disciple, the late Corresponding Member Nicon Ungur, he discovered the superacid cyclization reaction of terpenoids, known internationally as the “Vlad-Ungur Reaction.” For the first time, a stereoselective transformation of an aliphatic precursor into tetracyclic compounds with a record number of eight asymmetric centers was achieved in a single step with high yield. This reaction opened new avenues in the synthesis of natural products and their bioactive analogues.

• Ozonolysis Reaction:
 By applying ozonolysis techniques, he obtained a range of compounds with a strong amber scent, such as ambroxide and homofixator—valuable components in the perfume industry.

• Exploration of Essential Oils:
He determined the chemical composition of many essential oils extracted from plants native to the flora of the Republic of Moldova.

• Structure-Odor Relationship Theory:
 Together with his collaborators, he proposed an innovative theory regarding the relationship between molecular structure and odor, applicable in the synthesis of fragrant compounds.

Recognition and Awards
• National and International Awards:
o Two-time recipient of the State Prize.
o Laureate of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Award.
o Decorated with the Order of the Republic, the Order of the Badge of Honour, and the Dimitrie Cantemir Medal.
o Awarded the WIPO Gold Medal for Outstanding Inventor.

• Honorary Titles:
o Honored Scientist of the Republic of Moldova.

• Membership in Scientific Organizations:
o Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova.
o President of the Chemical Society of the Republic of Moldova (2002–2015).

International Projects and Collaborations
• International Collaborations:
o Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of Czechoslovakia, Prague
o Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
o Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk
o Institute of Organic Chemistry “C.D. Nenițescu”, Romanian Academy of Sciences, Bucharest
o “P. Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iasi
o “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Iași
o Wageningen Agricultural University, Netherlands
o Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR Naples, Italy
o Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk
o Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw

Publications and Scientific Works
• Publications:
o Author of over 400 scientific papers published in prestigious national and international journals, including 3 monographs and 4 textbooks.

• Patents:
o Co-inventor of 52 invention patents.

• Practical Applications:
o Developed and widely implemented synthesis methods for odorant compounds used in the tobacco industry.

Scientific Legacy
• Scientific School:
o Trained 3 Doctor Habilitatus and 16 Ph.D. graduates in chemical sciences.
o Served as the first president of the Chemical Society of the Republic of Moldova.
o Was a member of the editorial boards of several local and international scientific journals.
o Organized and promoted the conference “Achievements and Perspectives of Contemporary Chemistry” held by the Chemical Society of the Republic of Moldova, which became a tradition for the local and international scientific community.

• Impact on Education:
o Over more than 30 years, taught the course “Stereochemistry” to students at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the Moldova State University.
o Supervised numerous bachelor’s theses at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the Moldova State University.

Academician Pavel Vlad remains a model of excellence in scientific research, and his contributions will continue to inspire future generations of chemists.