Schiff, Hugo

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SCHIFF, HUGO

SCHIFF, HUGO (1834–1915), Italian organic chemist. Born in Frankfurt, Schiff was the brother of physiologist Moritz Schiff. He left Germany for political reasons. He was at University of Berne, Switzerland, and then joined his brother in Florence, where he was a professor at the Istituto di Studi Superiori (1863–66). He later worked in Pisa and the University of Turin (1876–79) and then returned to his professorship in Florence (1879). Compounds obtained from an aldehyde or a ketone and a primary amine are still known as "Schiff bases."