论文部分内容阅读
苯在1825年就被发现了,此后几十年间,人们一直不知道它的结构。所有的证据都表明苯分子非常对称,大家实在难以想像6个碳原子和6个氢原子怎么能够完全对称地排列、形成稳定的分子。1864年冬的某一天,德国化学家凯库勒坐在壁炉前打了个瞌睡,原子和分子们开始在幻觉中跳舞,一条碳原子链像蛇一样咬住自己的尾巴,在他眼前旋转。猛然惊醒之后,凯库勒明白了苯分子是一个环。
Benzene was discovered in 1825 and it has not been known for decades. All the evidence shows that the benzene molecule is very symmetrical. It is hard to imagine how six carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms can be completely symmetrically arranged to form a stable molecule. One day in the winter of 1864, the German chemist Kekule sat down in front of the fireplace and drowsed. The atoms and molecules began to dance in hallucinations. A chain of carbon atoms snapped around his tail like a snake, spinning in front of his eyes. After suddenly waking up, Kekule realized that the benzene molecule was a ring.