Brigitte Eisenmann

Brigitte Eisenmann (10 April 1942 – 26 April 2011) was a German chemist and a professor at the Technische Universität Darmstadt.^[1][2][3] She was the first woman professor for Chemistry at the Technische Universität Darmstadt.^[1][4] Together with Herbert Schäfer, she extended the definition of Zintl phases.^[5]

Eisenmann studied chemistry at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.^[1] She finished her dissertation "Zur Strukturchemie binärer und ternärer Verbindungen von Erdalkalimetallen mit Elementen der IV. Hauptgruppe" in the group of Armin Weiss in 1971.^[1] Shortly after, she started researching in the newly established group of Herbert Schäfer (chemist) at the Technische Universität Darmstadt.^[1] Together with him, she performed research on Zintl phases. At first, Eisenmann worked as a research assistant.^[1] A year later, she worked as a Dozentin.^[1] Three years later, she became Akademische Oberrätin.^[1] In 1986, Herbert Schäfer died and Eisenmann continued their joint work.^[1] Furthermore, she established her own research profile.^[1] In 1990, she habilitated with the work "Zintlphasen mit komplexen Anionen".^[1] She later became an extraordinary professor.^[1] She was the first woman professor for Chemistry at the Technische Universität Darmstadt.^[1] She also contributed to the Landolt–Börnstein.

She discovered the Si₄⁻ butterfly anion in Ba₃Si₄ during her work on her dissertation.^[1][6] Furthermore, she and Herbert Schäfer extended the definition of Zintl phases:^[5] In their definition, Zintl phases are intermetallic compounds with a pronounced heteropolar bonding contribution. Furthermore, their anion partial lattices should obey the (8-N) rule.^[5] The latter was newly introduced to the definition of Zintl phases.^[1] Up to today, this work is cited more than 300 times.

• Eisenmann, Brigitte; Schäfer, Herbert (1988). Hellwege, K.-H.; Hellwege, A. M. (eds.). Elements, Borides, Carbides, Hydrides. Landolt-Börnstein - Group III Condensed Matter. Vol. 14a. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag. doi:10.1007/b31112. ISBN 978-3-540-17814-9.
• Schäfer, Herbert; Eisenmann, Brigitte; Müller, Wiking (1973). "Zintl Phases: Transitions between Metallic and Ionic Bonding". Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English. 12 (9): 694–712. doi:10.1002/anie.197306941. ISSN 1521-3773.