Abstract
November 11, 1847.—The discovery that coal-tar contained benzene was made by A. W. Hofmann, but the production of benzene from coal-tar on a commercial scale was due to Charles Blackford Mansfield, a pupil of Hofmann's, and dates from the patent granted to him on Nov. 11, 1847, for “An improvement in the manufacture and purification of spirituous substances and oils applicable to the purposes of artificial light and various useful arts”. Mansfield died as a result of burns received whilst he was carrying out some of his experiments on tar.
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Calendar of Patent Records. Nature 124, 744 (1929). https://doi.org/10.1038/124744a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/124744a0