Shamkhal Mammadov was born on 10 October 1910. He studied at Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University from 1929 to 1932. From 1932 to 1935, he did postgraduate studies at this university. In 1936, he defended a PhD thesis, and obtained a ScD in 1942 after successfully defending his thesis on «Researches into simple glycol ethers”.

In 1956, he became a professor of organic chemistry. In 1936, Shamkhal Mammadov was made an associate professor and then professor at the Department of Organic Chemistry, BSU, which he headed from 1943 to 1952. From 1937 to 1943, he served as laboratory head at Azerbaijan branch of the Institute of Chemistry, USSR Academy of Sciences.

He was director of the institute from 1943 to 1949.

From 1956 to 1959, Shamkhal Mammadov chaired the department of Chemistry, Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University. From 1959 to 1978, he served as head of the laboratory of synthesis and technology of biologically active substances.

In 1967, he was elected a corresponding member of ANAS. He researched into synthesis of glycol ethers, and worked out tens of new methods of synthesizing glycol ethers. Under supervision of professor Mammadov, new herbicides (Efiran-12-19, Ef-66, Ef-99), insecticides (Efiran-3, Efiran-66), acaricides (Efiran-103, Efiran-19), and new methods of synthesis of Efiran-111 and Efiran-67 veterinary medicines were worked out, and for the first time connection between the structure and functional features of glycol ethers, which are biologically active compounds of the new class, was defined.

Shamkhal Mammadov made a tremendous contribution to the training of highly-skilled specialists in chemistry. For 25 years he gave lectures on organic chemistry and its theory at Baku State University and Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University.

He supervised 50 PhD students to completion. He published 400 papers, and held 70 authorship certificates.

He authored three monographs on glycol ethers. Shamkhal Mammadov was the recipient of “Badge of Honor” Order.