Kekule, Stephan

Kekule s apparent hesitancy in publishing his benzene theory was partly connected to events in his personal life. After their wedding, the couple spent four weeks in Switzerland, where Kekule showed his bride the site of his youthful postdoctoral stay in Chur then in the fall they attended the International Exposition in London, where Stephanie Kekule won the hearts of August s English friends. A son was born to the couple prematurely on 1 May 1863. Unfortunately, after the successful delivery, Stephanie developed puerperal fever, declined, and died on 10 May. Kekule was crushed with grief. He named his little son Stephan, after Stephanie. On the 31st he reported to Stas that "je ne suis pas un moment tranquille" and that he was completely unable to work. ... 

Since the publication of the article by Stephan Kekule, there has been much discussion of the possible significance of the benzene dream, if... 

Kekule von Stradonitz, Stephan. "Zwei chemlsche Visionen." Zeitschrift ftir angewandte Chemie 40 (1927) 736-37. 

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