Berthelot was not only an outstanding scientist but also an accomplished historian, philosopher, and public servant. He lived all his life in Paris, France, where his father, a doctor, treated patients in the city's poor neighborhoods. While still a student, Berthelot showed that organic compounds such as phenol could be synthesized from acetic acid which, in turn, could be prepared from other chemicals including carbon tetrachloride. Berthelot was one of the first scientists to use the word synthesis to describe the production of organic compounds from their elements. In 1854 Berthelot earned his doctorate with a thesis on the synthesis of natural fats, which he created by combining glycerol with fatty acids.

Berthelot continued his studies, graduated as a pharmacist in 1858, and became a professor of organic chemistry. In addition to his research on fats, Berthelot is known for synthesizing alcohols, which he defined as neutral compounds containing carbon...