Friedrich Wöhler
German chemist who synthesized urea and isolated key elements.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Friedrich Wöhler was a German chemist whose work spanned both organic and inorganic chemistry. He is best known for isolating the elements beryllium and yttrium in pure metallic form, and for his synthesis of urea, which challenged the vitalist belief that organic compounds could only be produced by living organisms.
- born
- 31 July 1800
- died
- 23 September 1882
- field
- Chemistry
- nationality
- German
- known_for
- Isolation of beryllium and yttrium; Wöhler synthesis of urea; preparation of silane and silicon nitride
Lore & Background
Friedrich Wöhler was born in Eschersheim, Germany, on 31 July 1800, the son of a veterinarian. He studied at Marburg University in 1820 and earned a Doctor of Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics from Heidelberg University in 1823, having worked in Leopold Gmelin's laboratory. Gmelin encouraged him to focus on chemistry and arranged for him to research under Jacob Berzelius in Stockholm, beginning a long professional relationship. Wöhler taught at the Gewerbeschule in Berlin from 1826 to 1831, then at the Höhere Gewerbeschule at Kassel until 1836, when he became an Ordinary Professor of Chemistry at the University of Göttingen, a position he held for 46 years. He trained about 8,000 research students and wrote roughly 275 books, editions, and papers.
Reader's Guide
Wöhler's significance lies in his contributions to both inorganic and organic chemistry. In inorganic chemistry, he isolated aluminium in pure form in 1827 by modifying Hans Christian Ørsted's method, and in 1828 he isolated beryllium and yttrium in pure metallic form. He also prepared silane, silicon nitride, calcium carbide, and crystalline boron and silicon. In organic chemistry, his 1828 synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate demonstrated that an organic compound could be made from inorganic substances, undermining the vitalist hypothesis that organic compounds required a 'life force.' However, the exact extent of his role in diminishing vitalism is considered by some to be questionable, and his work's importance to isomerism is often overlooked. He also collaborated with Justus Liebig on the benzoyl radical and chemical isomerism.
Did You Know?
- Wöhler was the first to isolate the elements beryllium and yttrium in pure metallic form.
- He prepared the inorganic compound silane (SiH4) in 1856 with Heinrich Buff.
- Wöhler's synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate in 1828 is often cited as a refutation of vitalism, though its role is debated.
- He accumulated the best private collection of meteoric stones and irons.
More in Notable Figures (6)
Elsewhere in the Historical Figures universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record