FARADAY discovered benzene, Perkin made synthetic dyes from aniline; it was found to be an easy step by nitration and reduction from benzene to aniline. Benzene became ennobled, the world preened ...

Perkins and other chemists set about to develop cheaper methods to dye fabrics. Today, labs create synthetic dyes petroleum or coal compounds. This has enabled us to bring vibrant colors to a wide ...

While food dyes have existed for centuries, the first synthetic food dye was invented in 1856 by chemist William Henry Perkin ...