WÖHLER, FRIEDRICH. - THE BEGINNING OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.

Ueber künstliche Bildung des Harnstoffs.

Leipzig, Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1828. Without wrappers as issued in "Annalen der Physik und Chemie. Hrsg.von Poggendorff", Bd. 12, Zweites Stück. Pp. 161-336 (the entire issue offered (Heft 2) together with the titlepage to 12. Band). Wöhler's paper: pp. 253-256. Clean and fine, printed on good paper.

First appearance of this milestone paper, marking the beginnings of organic chemistry, in which Wöhler describes how he managed to synthezise urea from cyanate of ammonia. This broke down the old distinction between organic and inorganic substances. "This was the first synthesis of an organic compound, and this accomplishment is generally regarded as the beginning of organic chemistry."(Sparrow "Milestones of Science", p.37).
The discovery destroyed the vitalistic theory which held that organic compounds could be produced only by living organisms, and led eventually to the brilliant results that have been achieved in attempts to synthesize other organic compounds.

Dibner: Heralds of Science, no. 45. - Sparrow: Milestones of Science, no. 197. - Garrison & Morton, no. 671. See also DSB XIV p.475.

Order-nr.: 43317