Vital force

Berzelius assumed that some vital force (life force) was necessary to produce organic compounds and synthesis of these compounds in the laboratory was impossible due to the absence of this vital force which only existed in living organisms. 

The vital force theory suffered the first deathblow, in 1828, when Fedrick Wohler synthesised first organic compound, urea, in the laboratory by heating ammonium cyanate (an inorganic compound). 

 NH4CNO + heat  🠚 NH2CONH2 (Urea)

 A further blow to vital force theory was given by Kolbe, in 1845, when he synthesised acetic acid, the first organic compound, in laboratory from its elements and . later by Berthelot, in 1856, who synthesised methane.