Image for August Kekulé (Friedrich August Kekulé)

August Kekulé (Friedrich August Kekulé)

Friedrich August Kekulé was a German chemist best known for discovering the structure of benzene, a common organic compound. His key insight was realizing that benzene's atoms form a ring, with alternating single and double bonds. This discovery explained its unique stability and chemical behavior. Kekulé's work was crucial in developing organic chemistry, helping scientists understand how carbon atoms bond in various compounds. His insights laid the foundation for developing many medicines, plastics, and other important materials we use today.