William Henry Perkin
British chemist known for his accidental discovery of the first synthetic dye (1838-1907) · Scientists · Died at 69
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Something wrong?Sir William Henry Perkin was an English chemist and entrepreneur best known for his serendipitous discovery of the first commercial synthetic organic dye, mauveine, made from aniline.
A life in dates
Also in Deutsch
Photos 7
Professor Charles Rees wearing a bow tie dyed with an original sample of mauveine while holding a Royal Society of Chemistry journal named after Perkin
The craze for aniline dyes, satirised in this George du Maurier cartoon
Blue plaque in Cable Street
Section of Coal Tar Colour Works at Greenford
Perkin's gravestone
Blue plaque in Greenford, England, near the Grand Union CanalAwards
In their orbit
Child: Arthur George PerkinIn common with William
Scientists born in the 1830s 1
About this person
Sir William Henry Perkin was an English chemist and entrepreneur best known for his serendipitous discovery of the first commercial synthetic organic dye, mauveine, made from aniline. Though he failed in trying to synthesise quinine for the treatment of malaria, he became successful in the field of dyes after his first discovery at the age of 18.
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