Tullio Ilometsa tegevuse jälg Tartu Ülikoolis: The marks left by Tullio Ilomets' activities at the University of Tartu

Tullio Ilomets was a legendary person in the recent history of theUniversity of Tartu. He participated in the reconstruction of chemistry education and in establishing contemporary organic synthesis atthe post-war University. Initially Ilomets studied hydrocarbons withtriple bonds. Among many useful applications, these compounds werelater used as building blocks for the synthesis of plant protectionchemicals, known as pheromones. Later he became interested in theanalysis of complex mixtures of organic compounds of biological origin, including snake venoms, different types of medicinal mud samples, glycosides of plant extracts and complex mixtures of fermentation products, which can be considered precursors of contemporarydietary supplements.Ilomets was very deeply interested in the history of science, andhe established the excellent collection of scientific instruments exhibited at the University of Tartu Museum. Besides this academic interest in history, he actively participated in practical heritage conservation activities, for example, by studying the chemical compositionof building materials needed for the restoration of St. John’s Churchin Tartu.Ilomets had a great influence on students, increasing their professional skills, but more importantly, he had a strong impact on theirintellectual development. This kind of mentorship shaped the mindsof many generations of students and affected the entire communityof Estonian chemists