Adolf Von Baeyer
By: Alexys Herrera
Contributions to science
Baeyer is a German chemist who synthesised indigo, the stuff that is used to make your jeans blue in colour. He won the Nobel Prize for his work in organic chemistry and with synthetic dyes.In 1865, Baeyer started his research on Indigo. He was fascinated by this dye since his youth. Baeyer discovered the structure of Indigo. His researches even lead to the discovery of Indigotin. The use of Indigo dye in the legendary blue made his name immortal as the creator of the jeans blue colour.
Uric acid
One of Baeyer’s first researches was in Uric acid. This helped him discover Barbituric acid. Barbiturates were manufactured from this basic compound as a sleeping drug. It was his thesis on Barbituric acid that would make him eligible to be a university teacher.
Phenolphthalein
Baeyer discovered Phenolphthalein, which was used to test the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. His other interesting discovery was that of Fluorescein, a dye that glows under ultraviolet light. It’s today being used by forensic investigators to detect latent bloodstains.
Indigo
Baeyer's contribution to science. What got him the Nobel Prize.