Körner, Wilhelm

Wilhelm Körner, (born April 20, 1839, Kassel, Hesse-Kassel [Germany]—died March 28, 1925, Milan, Italy), German organic chemist who in 1874 showed how to determine the relative positions of two substituents, such as methyl, on the benzene ring. For example, o-xylene forms two different mononitro derivatives; m-xylene forms three; and p-xylene forms only one. This method permitted further advances in the study and development of aromatic (benzene-derived) compounds.

A student and assistant of August Kekule at Ghent, Körner was appointed to the chair of chemistry at Bonn (1867) and to a chair of organic chemistry at Milan (1870). He prepared 126 aromatic compounds, including pyridine (1869). With Angelo Menozzi of Italy, he synthesized asparagine (1887).