Biography of Georgy Konstantinovich Boreskov
Half a Century of Catalyst Industry Development in the Russian Federation Leading to the Establishment of Almas Catalyst Iranian
Georgy Konstantinovich Boreskov was born on April 7, 1907, in Omsk, Russia, into a military and intellectual family. His grandfather, Mikhail Matveyevich Boreskov, was a general in the Russian army and among the first to apply electronics in military technology and mine construction. He also developed a formula for calculating explosive charges, which—with minor modifications—is still in use today. His father, Konstantin Mikhailovich Boreskov, came from an old Russian noble family and served as one of Russia’s first military pilots in the “East Siberian Balloon Battalion.” His mother, Ida Petrovna Boreskova-Paton (née Dombrovna, 1878–1956), came from an educated family, was fluent in several languages, and had exceptional musical talent.
Boreskov spent his childhood in Odessa, where the family had moved due to his father’s service. In 1916, his parents separated, and his mother married Nikolai Alexandrovich Paton, a Russian army colonel and military engineer. This environment had a profound impact on Boreskov’s scientific character; from an early age, he was fascinated by technical sciences, especially chemistry.
He completed his studies at the Odessa Technical High School (formerly the Industrial School) and graduated in 1924. Four years later, he earned a degree in “Basic Chemical Processes” from the Odessa Institute of Chemistry, where his interest in catalysts began to take shape.
Due to his exceptional talent, Boreskov joined the Laboratory of Catalysts at the Odessa Institute of Chemical-Radiological Research as a research associate after graduation. His mentor, Professor I. Y. Adadurov, was a leading figure in catalyst design. Boreskov quickly advanced in research, publishing six joint papers with his mentor in the first year alone. During this period, he began to develop his own scientific perspective on the chemical nature of catalysis.
In 1932, he became head of the Catalyst Laboratory at the Odessa Institute and remained in that position until 1937. Simultaneously, without yet holding a doctoral degree, he also headed the Department of Chemical Process and Equipment Engineering.
At that time, one of the major challenges in the Soviet chemical industry—central to the country’s industrialization efforts—was the production of sulfuric acid. The industry relied on expensive platinum catalysts that were vulnerable to sulfur compounds. Boreskov focused on finding cheaper and more stable alternatives and eventually proposed the use of vanadium. Based on this metal, he developed two new catalysts: barium–alumo–vanadium and barium–tin–vanadium.
In 1932, the first vanadium catalyst was introduced at the Konstantinov Chemical Plant, dramatically increasing sulfuric acid production efficiency. In 1937, in recognition of his scientific contributions, he was awarded the degree of Candidate of Chemical Sciences (equivalent to a Ph.D.) without the need to defend a dissertation.
His laboratory was later relocated to Moscow—first at the Institute of Fertilizers and Pesticides (1937–1946), and then at the L. Y. Karpov Physicochemical Institute (1946–1959). At the same time, Boreskov headed the Department of Isotope Separation and Application at the Mendeleev Institute of Chemical Technology. In 1946, he defended his doctoral dissertation titled “The Theory of Catalysts in Sulfuric Acid Production” and became a full professor. His famous work “Catalysts in Sulfuric Acid Production” was published in 1954.
During the 1950s, Boreskov developed a specific scientific theory of catalysts, presented in 1953 at the All-Union Conference on Heterogeneous Catalysis under the title “The Mechanism of Action of Solid Catalysts.” He demonstrated that the specific catalytic activity of materials with similar composition and structure remains almost constant, regardless of preparation method—a principle later known as “Boreskov’s Law.”
With the scientific expansion of Siberia, Boreskov became one of the first advocates for establishing research centers in eastern Russia. He founded and served as the first director of the Institute of Catalysis of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, a position he held until his death in 1984. Under his leadership, extensive research was conducted on heterogeneous catalysis, polymerization, and gas purification, leading to the development of important industrial catalysts such as the molybdenum catalyst (1979).
On March 28, 1958, Boreskov became a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and on July 1, 1966, he was elected a full academician in the Department of Physical Chemistry and Inorganic Materials Technology. He continued his scientific work until his death on August 12, 1984, and was buried in the Southern (Cherabuzhinsky) Cemetery of Novosibirsk.
Boreskov played a foundational, strategic, and inspirational role in the history of the SKTB company—later known as Antares (Special Design and Engineering Bureau for Catalysts). It is no exaggeration to say that without his scientific vision and managerial leadership, the creation of such an institution bridging science and industry in the Soviet Union would not have been possible.
He not only founded the Institute of Catalysis in Novosibirsk but also laid the groundwork for a network of industrial design and development organizations, among which SKTB was the most significant. His influence can be analyzed in three main stages:
1. Founding and Initiative (1967–1975)
Boreskov was one of the first to practically realize the idea proposed by Academician M. A. Lavrentyev, head of the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences, known as the “Scientific Implementation Belt.” The goal was to bridge the gap between scientific research and industrial production—a major challenge in the Soviet planned economy of the 1960s.
Boreskov applied this concept to catalysis, his field of expertise. Understanding its industrial and commercial importance, he proposed establishing a Special Design Bureau (SKTB) dedicated to developing and engineering catalytic technologies under the direct supervision of the Institute of Catalysis.
In May 1970, with support from the Ministry of Chemical Industry and based on Boreskov’s proposal, the Special Design and Engineering Bureau for Catalysts (SKTB) was established. Designed as the “right hand of the Institute of Catalysis,” its mission was to rapidly scale up laboratory research to industrial and export levels.
At that time, Boreskov was director of the Institute of Catalysis under the Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences and served as SKTB’s scientific supervisor. The dual management system—scientific (Institute) and industrial (Ministry)—was his own innovation.
2. Scientific Leadership and Technical Development (1970s–1980s)
During his tenure, close collaboration between the Institute of Catalysis and SKTB became the foundation for the Soviet Union’s globally competitive catalyst production. In the 1980s, SKTB became the Ministry’s reference organization for catalyst design and production.
Boreskov not only supported engineering innovations within SKTB but also personally led key projects, such as the Reverse Process developed in the mid-1970s—a pioneering method for designing unconventional catalytic reactions that became a theoretical basis for modern refinery technologies.
He often told SKTB staff:
“I envy you, because you work where science directly transforms into living production.”
He fostered an environment where scientists and engineers worked side by side for the first time, creating an organizational model later adopted by many Soviet design bureaus.
3. Human and Organizational Legacy
Boreskov’s influence extended beyond institutional leadership. He actively supported young specialists at SKTB, encouraging them to pursue industrial research and cultivating a philosophy of dedicated, practical science.
One veteran employee recalled:
“When Boreskov first visited SKTB, he said if he could live life again, he would like to work in such an organization.”
This attitude inspired generations of scientists and shaped SKTB’s culture—grounded in the fusion of science and practice, fidelity to precision, and a national mission of technological independence.
4. His Legacy in Modern SKTB
After his death in 1984, the Institute of Catalysis was renamed in his honor, becoming the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis. The institute and SKTB continue to maintain a close relationship as the scientific and industrial arms of a unified tradition.
Vitaly Valentinovich Khan, the current CEO of SKTB, has repeatedly emphasized in his speeches that the company’s core philosophy—transforming science into industrial products with global value—remains inspired by Boreskov’s principles.
5. The Role of Vitaly Valentinovich Khan in Transforming SKTB into a Global Catalyst Leader
The modernization and globalization phase of SKTB began in 2011 with the arrival of Vitaly Valentinovich Khan, marking a turning point that transformed the company from a state enterprise on the verge of bankruptcy into one of the leading catalyst producers in Russia and a recognized national exporter.
Leveraging his industrial management and technological investment experience, Khan implemented rigorous technical discipline, financial reform, and long-term strategic vision. Early in his tenure, he acquired and integrated the Promcatalyst Ryazan Plant, multiplying the company’s production capacity and product diversity while establishing a modern foundation for mass production and sustainable development.
6. Establishment of Almas Catalyst Iranian
Throughout SKTB’s fifty-year evolution, globalization and export expansion played a decisive role in advancing its international presence. By the mid-2010s, the company began expanding into the Middle Eastern market, forming technological partnerships with regional counterparts.
In 2018, SKTB (under the Antares brand) officially began cooperation with the Iranian company Artin Azma Mehr. Their first major collaboration was the full supply and implementation of the isomerization unit catalyst project at Shiraz Refinery—including not only catalyst supply but also process design and full engineering licensing.
This success became a hallmark of Russian-Iranian technological integration and demonstrated the practical fusion of scientific expertise between the two nations.
The success of the Shiraz project laid the groundwork for strategic cooperation between Antares (SKTB), Artin Azma Mehr, and Sanat Afarin Mahan. The result was the establishment of Almas Catalyst Iranian—a company dedicated to combining Russia’s world-class catalyst technology with Iran’s engineering and industrial capacity. Its mission is to localize advanced know-how, provide process licenses, and deliver technical-engineering services for the refining and petrochemical industries.
Thus, the global trajectory of SKTB, rooted in half a century of scientific and industrial excellence, reached its pinnacle through the founding of Almas Catalyst Iranian—a symbol of technological diplomacy, genuine knowledge transfer, and a lasting partnership between two nations committed to advancing catalytic and refining technology.
