kekull

Kekulé is a German chemist best known for his work on the structure of organic compounds, particularly his discovery of the ring structure of benzene. Born Friedrich August Kekulé in Darmstadt, he initially studied architecture before switching to chemistry. His early work focused on the classification of organic compounds.

Kekulé's most significant contribution came in the 1860s with his theory of the structure of benzene. At the time, chemists struggled to explain benzene's chemical properties and its formula (C6H6). Kekulé proposed that benzene consisted of a hexagonal ring of six carbon atoms, with alternating single and double bonds. He famously described this idea coming to him in a dream where a snake coiled into a circle. This benzene ring structure became a foundational concept in organic chemistry, revolutionizing the field and enabling the synthesis of countless new compounds.

Beyond benzene, Kekulé also contributed to the understanding of valency, proposing that carbon atoms have a valency of four. He was a prominent figure in chemistry education, holding professorships in Ghent, Bonn, and Berlin. His work laid the groundwork for much of modern organic chemistry and its applications in areas like pharmaceuticals and materials science. He died in Bonn in 1896.