- German chemist, considered one of the founders of organic chemistry
- Synthesized urea from inorganic starting materials, disproving the vital force theory
- Discovered aluminium
- Developed a method for producing beryllium
- Studied the properties of silicon and boron
- First to isolate calcium carbide
- Professor at the University of Göttingen for over 50 years
- Wöhler's work laid the foundation for much of modern chemistry