Radical theory and type theory
Teoría de radicales y teoría de los tipos
- Date
- 1837-1853 · confidence medium
- Place
- Paris (Dumas, Laurent, Gerhardt) and Giessen (Liebig)
- Credited to
- Liebig, Dumas, Laurent, Gerhardt, Williamson
- People
- 👤 Alexander William Williamson1824–1904👤 Auguste Laurent1807–1853👤 Charles Frédéric Gerhardt1816–1856👤 Jean-Baptiste Dumas1800–1884👤 Justus von Liebig1803–1873
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Organic compounds are conceived as derivatives of a few 'types' (water, ammonia, hydrogen, hydrogen chloride) formed by substituting hydrogens, and as groupings of radicals that are conserved in reactions. It prepared the ground for valence.
What it led to
- Concept of valence
- Kekulé and Couper's structural theory
- Synthesis of ethers (Williamson)
Built on
- Isomerism1825-1830
- Organic combustion analysis (Liebig's Kaliapparat)1831
- Liebig's elemental analysis
Made possible
- Concept of valence1852
- Tetravalence of carbon and carbon chains1858
- Williamson synthesis