Guillaume-François Rouelle

Guillaume-François Rouelle
Guillaume-François Rouelle
Born	16 September 1703 Mathieu
Died	3 August 1770 (aged 66) Paris
Nationality	French
Fields	Chemistry
Known for	Base
Influenced	Denis Diderot Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier Joseph Proust Antoine-Augustin Parmentier

Guillaume François Rouelle (16 September 1703 – 3 August 1770) was a French chemist and apothecary. In 1754 he introduced the concept of a base into chemistry, as a substance which reacts with an acid to give it solid form (as a salt).

He is known as l'Aîné (the elder) to distinguish him from his younger brother, Hilaire Rouelle, who was also a chemist and known as the discoverer of urea.

He started a public course in his laboratory in 1738 where he taught many students among whom were Denis Diderot, Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, Joseph Proust and Antoine-Augustin Parmentier.

He was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1749.