Perkin, William Henry
Published: August 26, 2008, 9:13 pm
Updated: August 26, 2008, 9:13 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Peter Saundry
A photograph that William Henry Perkin took of himself at the age of 14—four years before he discovered the first synthetic dyestuff. (Source: Chemical Heritage Foundation)
In 1856, during Easter vacation from the Royal College of Chemistry, 18-year-old William Henry Perkin (1838–1907) synthesized mauve, or aniline purple—the first synthetic dyestuff—from chemicals derived from coal tar. Like Friedrich Wöhler's accidental synthesis of urea, Perkin's chemical manipulations were designed to produce a quite different product—quinine. His teacher, August W. Hofmann, one of Justus von Liebig's former students, had remarked on the desirability of synthesizing this antimalarial drug, which at that time was derived solely from the bark of the cinchona tree, by then grown mainly on plantations in southeast Asia. Against Hofmann's recommendation and with the financial support of his father, a construction contractor, Perkin commercialized his discovery and developed the processes for the production and use of the new dye. In 1857 he opened his factory at Greenford Green, not far from London.
From this modest beginning grew the highly innovative chemical industry of synthetic dyestuffs and its near relative, the pharmaceutical industry, which improved the quality of life for the general population. These two industries also stimulated the search for a better understanding of the structure of molecules. Perkin, at the age of 36, sold his business so that he could devote himself entirely to research, which included early investigations of the ability of some organic chemicals to rotate plane-polarized light, a property used in considering questions of molecular structure.
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Citation
Chemical Heritage Foundation (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Perkin, William Henry". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 26, 2008; Last revised Date August 26, 2008; Retrieved May 18, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Perkin,_William_Henry>
The Author
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) serves the community of the chemical and molecular sciences, and the wider public, by treasuring the past, educating the present, and inspiring the future. CHF maintains a world-class collection of materials that document the history and heritage of the chemical and molecular sciences, technologies, and industries; encourages research in CHF collections; and carries out a program of outreach and interpretation in order to advance an understanding of the ro ... (Full Bio)
A photograph that William Henry Perkin took of himself at the age of 14—four years before he discovered the first synthetic dyestuff. (Source: Chemical Heritage Foundation)
In 1856, during Easter vacation from the Royal College of Chemistry, 18-year-old William Henry Perkin (1838–1907) synthesized mauve, or aniline purple—the first synthetic dyestuff—from chemicals derived from coal tar. Like Friedrich Wöhler's accidental synthesis of urea, Perkin's chemical manipulations were designed to produce a quite different product—quinine. His teacher, August W. Hofmann, one of Justus von Liebig's former students, had remarked on the desirability of synthesizing this antimalarial drug, which at that time was derived solely from the bark of the cinchona tree, by then grown mainly on plantations in southeast Asia. Against Hofmann's recommendation and with the financial support of his father, a construction contractor, Perkin commercialized his discovery and developed the processes for the production and use of the new dye. In 1857 he opened his factory at Greenford Green, not far from London.
From this modest beginning grew the highly innovative chemical industry of synthetic dyestuffs and its near relative, the pharmaceutical industry, which improved the quality of life for the general population. These two industries also stimulated the search for a better understanding of the structure of molecules. Perkin, at the age of 36, sold his business so that he could devote himself entirely to research, which included early investigations of the ability of some organic chemicals to rotate plane-polarized light, a property used in considering questions of molecular structure.
Further Reading
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William Henry Perkin. (Source: Chemical Heritage Foundation)
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