V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry of the NAS of Ukraine was established by the Resolution of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) No. 181 of 03.05.1989 by merging the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and the Division of Petrochemistry of the Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry and Coal Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR.
In 1983, on the initiative of Valery Pavlovych Kukhar, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, in order to concentrate the efforts of scientists on further development of fundamental research and increase the efficiency of scientific and practical developments in the field of bioorganic chemistry, the Division of Bioorganic Chemistry (DBC) as a part of the Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC) of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR was established by the Resolution of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR of 08.04.1983, No. 217. The DBC consisted of three departments of the IOC (Departments of the Chemistry of Polyhalogenated Organic Compounds, of the Chemistry of Pyrimidine Bases, of the Chemistry of Photosynthesis) and one Department of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics (IMBG) of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (Department of the Protein Chemistry). The abovementioned resolution approved the main directions of the Division scientific activities, which include the study of the chemical structure of proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and their components; the design of chemical models of biological processes; and the development of methods for the fine organic synthesis of new biologically active compounds.
The Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 807 of 26.08.1985 ‘On further development of new areas of biology and biotechnology’ approved the establishment of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. In pursuance of this resolution and the resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine and the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR No. 357 of 24.09.1985, the resolution of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences No. 1449 of 03.12.1986, the decision of the Board of the State Committee of the USSR for Science and Technology (Protocol No. 260 of 30.05.1986), the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR transformed the Division of Bioorganic Chemistry into the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (Resolution No. 16 of 16.01.1987).
Valery Kukhar
The founder and head of the Division and the permanent director of the Institute from 1987 to 2012 was Valery Pavlovych Kukhar, an outstanding chemist, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the NAS of Ukraine, Honoured Figure of Science and Technology of Ukraine, winner of the State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology, Laureate of the World Federation of Scientists Prize ‘Premio’ Terni – San Valentino ‘Un anno d’Amore’, awarded the Global 500 Award (United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP), awarded the International Arbuzov Prize in Organophosphorus Chemistry, author of more than 700 scientific papers published in national and international journals, including 9 monographs and 108 copyright certificates and patents for inventions, founder and head of the scientific school, which has produced 30 Candidates and 2 Doctors of Chemical Sciences who are worthily continuing the work of their professor.
During the first year and a half of the Division activity, new departments and laboratories were established, including the following units: fine organic synthesis, the chemistry of nucleic acids, peptide synthesis, protein structure and function, the chemistry of physiologically active phosphorus compounds, the chemistry of vitamin D, pharmacological and biochemical research, and others.
The above-mentioned scientific units were located in the premises of the IOC of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and partially in the IMBG of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, occupying a total area of approximately 1,150 m2. This circumstance did not allow the allocation of scientific equipment that was planned to be purchased in the future to equip specialised isothermal chambers, a radiochemical unit, biologically clean rooms, and to provide workplaces for the growing number of employees. Given the expected development of the Division, it required the construction of a new laboratory centre covering an area of 8,000 m2. The procedure for obtaining a building permit, initiated by the DBC management and supported by the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, was completed within two years, in 1984. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, O.P. Lyashko, agreed with the proposal of the Academies of Sciences of the USSR and the Ukrainian SSR to build a laboratory building; the Executive Committee of the Kyiv City Council permitted the design and exploration work and sanctioned that ‘Kyivprombud’ should carry out the construction in 1986–1988.
The implementation of the Kyiv City Council’s decision was somewhat delayed due to several objective reasons, among which the 1986 Chornobyl accident was likely the most significant.
The construction project was approved in 1987, and the construction, which involved numerous auxiliary works performed by the Institute’s employees, commenced in April 1988 and was completed in September 1991.
Preparation of the construction site
Laying a memorial capsule in the future foundation of the laboratory building
Construction and installation works are coming to a completion!
Starting in the fourth quarter of 1991, the newly built facility was developed, and the laboratory premises were equipped and adapted to meet the specific needs of the research being conducted.
The Division (Sector) of Petrochemistry was established in 1965 at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (IMC) of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (Resolution of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR No. 76 of 20.03.1965). The initiator of its creation and the first director was Viktor Stepanovych Hutyria, a prominent petrochemist, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR, academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, winner of the USSR State (Stalin) Prize in Science and Technology (1942), holder of 7 orders and 5 medals of the USSR.
V.S. Hutyrya is the developer of technologies for the production of synthetic ethanol, several military substances, aviation petrol, catalytic cracking in a fluidised bed catalyst, zeolite catalysis processes, the founder of the Ukrainian scientific school of petrochemists, author of 2 monographs, more than 200 scientific papers, numerous copyright certificates for inventions.
The main task of the established Sector was to conduct scientific research in the field of petroleum chemistry and petrochemical processes. It was the first academic institution of petrochemical expertise in Ukraine.
The Petrochemistry Sector launched two new research areas related to the use of zeolites, which were novel at the time: catalysis on zeolites and separation of oil hydrocarbons on zeolites. For several years, the department was the only scientific unit in the former Soviet Union devoted to zeolite research.
Eleven years later, the Petrochemistry Sector of the IMC of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR was subordinated to the Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry and Coal Chemistry (IPOCC) of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR by the Resolution of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR No. 437 of 09.12.1976. At the end of 1981, it was renamed the Department of Petrochemistry of the IPOCC (Resolution of the Bureau of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR No. 407-Б of 17.10.1981).
Over several decades, the staff of the Petrochemistry Division has acquired new knowledge of the transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons and has undertaken numerous scientific and technical developments for oil and gas production, oil refining, and petrochemistry, as well as for the needs of crop and livestock manufacturing. Petrochemists have made a significant contribution to the liquidation of the consequences of the Chornobyl accident: in record time, they proposed, developed and implemented technologies for dust suppression on roads and their sides, chemical and biological consolidation of sandy areas, and wastewater treatment from radionuclides in the 30-kilometre zone of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which eliminated the threat of radionuclide transfer outside the zone.
In May 1989, the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, by Resolution No. 181 of 03.05.1989, subordinated the Division of Petrochemistry to the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, removing it from the Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry and Coal Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, and in agreement with the State Committee of the USSR for Science and Technology (No. IK 21-18-685 of 11.09.1989), based on the consent of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR (order No. 358-p of 09.10.1989), the Presidium of the Ukrainian SSR Academy of Sciences decided (resolution No. 348 of 23.10.1989) to name the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR as the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and approved the main directions of its scientific activity, which were subsequently adjusted by the resolutions of the Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine No. 304 of 24.12.2003 and No. 110 of 21.05.2014:
Additionally, a substantial amount of other Institute research has been conducted. It continues to be applied to address acute environmental problems, particularly the purification of air, water, and soil from man-made pollution.
In 2018, the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry of the NAS of Ukraine was renamed the V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry of the NAS of Ukraine.
V.P. Kukhar Institute
of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry
NAS of Ukraine
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