This Essay outlines the life path and scientific achievements of Nikolai Zelinsky to testify to his contributions to organic chemistry, catalysis, and petrochemistry. His legacy includes four name reactions (the Hell–Volhard–Zelinsky reaction, 1887; the Zelinsky–Stadnikov reaction, 1906; Zelinsky irreversible catalysis, 1911; the Zelinsky–Kazansky acetylene trimerization, 1924), pioneering contributions to the main oil‐refining processes (thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, hydrodesulfurization, reforming, and oxidative regeneration of coked catalysts), the coal gas mask, Pd/C and other supported catalysts, and a very large scientific school.

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This Essay outlines the life path and scientific achievements of Nikolai Zelinsky to testify to his contributions to organic chemistry, catalysis, and petrochemistry. His legacy includes four name reactions (the Hell–Volhard–Zelinsky reaction, 1887; the Zelinsky–Stadnikov reaction, 1906; Zelinsky irreversible catalysis, 1911; the Zelinsky–Kazansky acetylene trimerization, 1924), pioneering contributions to the main oil‐refining processes (thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, hydrodesulfurization, reforming, and oxidative regeneration of coked catalysts), the coal gas mask, Pd/C and other supported catalysts, and a very large scientific school.