Auguste Laurent

Auguste Laurent
Born14 November 1807
Died15 April 1853 (1853-04-16) (aged 45)
NationalityFrench
Known foranthracene
phthalic acid
carbolic acid
Scientific career
Fieldschemistry

Auguste Laurent (14 November 1807 – 15 April 1853) was a French chemist who helped in the founding of organic chemistry with his discoveries of trichloroethylene, anthracene, phthalic acid, and carbolic acid.

He devised a systematic nomenclature for organic chemistry based on structural grouping of atoms within molecules to determine how the molecules combine in organic reactions. He studied under Jean-Baptiste Dumas as a laboratory assistant and worked with Charles Frédéric Gerhardt. He died in Paris from tuberculosis.