figure a

A. F. Pozharskii is one of the most prominent Russian organic chemists whose work in the field of physical organic and heterocyclic chemistry has gained wide international recognition. He is the author of 10 monographs, 440 articles and reviews published in leading Russian and foreign journals, as well as 35 inventor's certificates and patents for inventions.

The scientific activities of A. F. Pozharskii are closely connected with the Rostov University (Southern Federal University since 2008). Having defended his candidate thesis "Research in the field of N-substituted benzimidazoles" under the direction of Professor A. M. Simonov in 1956, A. F. Pozharskii began working at the Department of Organic Chemistry as an assistant, then Assistant Professor. After defending in 1972 his doctoral thesis, A. F. Pozharskii became Professor, and since 1981 the Head of the Department of Organic Chemistry. Having paid considerable attention to the development and study of the mechanism of the Chichibabin reaction, A. F. Pozharskii turned to the study of peri-condensed systems, as well as the study of condensed systems based on uracil and proton sponges. The results of his work in this field are of considerable interest, in particular, the creation of novel heterocyclic and organometallic analogs of sponges, the determination of proton sponges as a mobile redox system.

By his own admission, his internship in the laboratory of Professor A. R. Katritzky at the University of East Anglia in 1968–1969 played an important role in the development of A. F. Pozharskii as a scientist, which was followed by many years of fruitful collaboration with this outstanding scientist, the notable result of which was the publication of the joint monograph "Handbook of Heterocyclic Chemistry" (Pergamon: Amsterdam, 2000).

Professor A. F. Pozharskii is an active popularizer of science. His books Molekuly-perstni (Rings Molecules [in Russian], Chemistry: Moscow, 1993) and "Heterocycles in Life and Society" (J. Wiley & Sons: Chichester, 1997) are written with a high professional and at the same time accessible level in collaboration with A. T. Soldatenkov and A. R. Katritzky.

Aleksander Fedorovich Pozharskii is a talented teacher, the founder of a scientific school. Under his mentorship, 4 doctoral and 36 candidate theses have been prepared and defended. In 2006, A. F. Pozharskii was awarded the Medal "In Memory of Professor A. N. Kost" and a diploma from the International charitable foundation "Scientific Partnership Foundation". In 2009, A. F. Pozharskii was awarded the title of Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation.

V. I. Minkin, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Head of Research Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry, Southern Federal University

The editorial staff of Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds congratulates Professor A. F. Pozharskii, a member of the editorial board of the journal, on the occasion of this significant birthday anniversary and wishes him good health and further scientific success.