Andrei Frost

Andrei Vladimirovich Frost (; - August 4, 1952) was a Soviet chemist, Doctor of Sciences in Chemistry, and Professor specializing in physical chemistry. He established one of the largest schools of thought in physical chemistry in the USSR. His research into olefins and catalytic transformations had significant implications for the development of catalytic cracking in the oil refinery industry in the Soviet Union.

Biography Frost was born in Oryol on September 21, 1906. He started working as a sample preparation technician at a pharmaceutical facility when he was 13 years old; later, he served as a laboratory assistant at a governorate laboratory of the Supreme Soviet of National Economics. He carried on with his scientific studies at the Institute of Petroleum and the Fossil Fuel Institute after moving to Moscow in 1941.

Scientific activity Frost actively participated in phosphorus research in the late 1920s. He investigated the oxidation of phosphorus and its derivatives (such as phosphine and phosphonium salts) with water under various pressure and temperature conditions to create a contemporary technology for the industrial production of phosphoric acid. Later, his interests in science changed. Frost’s scientific interests are divided into two areas: Development of a mathematical framework to investigate the kinetics of heterogeneously catalyzed flow processes. This has led to the Frost equation for first‑order reactions in an integral flow reactor and the Frost‑Dintses equation for catalytic processes complicated by self‑braking effects. A theoretical justification for the formation of oil from organic substances containing oxygen and the variations in its chemical composition. Furthermore, the capacity of olefins to inhibit the decomposition of aliphatic hydrocarbons was first observed and examined theoretically. According to Frost’s theoretical explanation, olefins are able to deactivate free radicals of saturated alkanes by forming stable complexes. That discovery was important for the oil industry, since unsaturated hydrocarbons are among the products of the cracking process. Frost used spectroscopic methods to measure the heats of hydration of ethylene, aliphatic olefins, and the formation of various saturated alcohols.

Frost conducted extensive research on palladium catalysts for the hydrogenation of benzene and toluene under various pressure conditions. That work established the reaction mechanism, which is the dissolution of hydrogen followed by a reaction with benzene molecules adsorbed on the surface. He actively investigated various nonmetallic catalysts, such as alumina, chromia, and silica, in addition to palladium, since his research was centered on figuring out the mechanism of more complex reactions on different mixed catalysts. Alongside A.V. Nikolaev, he worked on the sulfide catalyst‑based decyclization of cyclohexane.

Teaching He was involved in both scientific and teaching endeavors. He focused heavily on training aspiring researchers and giving students internships at chemical facilities while serving as the head of the Division of Physical Chemistry at Moscow State University. Frost’s greatest accomplishment is that he established the largest school of thought in physical chemistry in the Soviet Union. Among his pupils are Professor , Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences , and others.

Final years Frost was formulating a theory in his final years to explain the origin of oil, which enabled him to explain chemical composition differences between oil grades. That study had a significant impact on the oil refining industry as well as geological research. He died on August 4, 1952, while on a business trip in Baku, when he was 45 years old, and in the words of one obituary, at the peak of his creativity. He is interred in Section 15 of the Vagankovo Cemetery. He received medals including the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.