LeBel, Joseph Achille

LeBel, Joseph Achille. "Sur les relations qui existent entre les formules atom-iques des corps organiques et le pouvoir rotatoire de leurs dissolutions." Bulletin de la Sociiti Chimique [2] 22 (1874) 337-47. 

From the chirality standpoint the next fundamental development occurred in 1874, when the tetrahedral carbon atom was proposed as a basis for molecular chirality by the Dutch and French chemists Jacobus Henricus van t Hoff (1852— 1911) [47, 48] and Joseph Achille LeBel (1847-1930) [49], respectively, independently and almost simultaneously. The discovery of the asymmetric carbon atom (van t Hoff s terminology) finally provided the explanation for the existence of optical isomers and for the chiral nature of the molecules of optically active substances, including many drugs. In his original 1874 pamphlet proposing the tetrahedron [47] van t Hoff listed camphor as a chiral molecule, but the structure he gave (19) was incorrect. 

Del pine, M. Vie et oeuvres de Joseph-Achille LeBel. Paris Dupont, 1947. 

---