The Chemist Who Discovered the Structure of Benzene

This story follows the life and work of the nineteenth-century chemist who solved one of chemistry’s greatest puzzles: the structure of benzene. At a time when organic chemistry was still struggling to explain how atoms bonded together, his insight transformed the understanding of molecular structure, launched modern aromatic chemistry, and reshaped industries from dyes to pharmaceuticals. This is a scientific, historically grounded account of how careful reasoning, experimental evidence, and theoretical courage led to one of the most important discoveries in chemistry.