Hans von Pechmann

Freiherr Hans von Pechmann (1 April 1850 – 19 April 1902) was a German chemist, renowned for his discovery of diazomethane in 1894. Pechmann condensation and Pechmann pyrazole synthesis. He also first prepared 1,2-diketones (e.g., diacetyl), acetonedicarboxylic acid, methylglyoxal and diphenyltriketone; established the symmetrical structure of anthraquinone.

Von Pechmann also produced the first example of solid polyethylene serendipitously in 1898, via the decomposition of diazomethane.

Life Von Pechmann was born in Nuremberg, the only son of a doctor, who was also named Hans. The von Pechmanns had distinguished themselves as soldiers; in 1702, von Pechmann's ancestor Martin Günther von Pechmann, a general of artillery in the Bavarian army, had been raised to the rank of a baron of the Holy Roman Empire by Leopold I.

Works Volhard's Anleitung zur Qualitativen chemischen Analyse . Chemisches Labolatorium des Staates, Munich 9th & 10th ed. 1901 Digital edition by the University and State Library Düsseldorf Anleitung zur quantitativen Analyse nach Cl. Zimmermann: zum Gebrauche im chemischen Laboratorium des Staates zu München. Chemisches Laboratorium des Staates, Munich 10th ed. 1901 Digital edition by the University and State Library Düsseldorf