Hans von Pechmann

Who was Hans von Pechmann?

Hans von Pechmann 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, acetonedicarboxylic acid, methylglyoxal and diphenyltriketone; established the symmetrical structure of anthraquinone.

Von Pechmann also discovered polyethylene plastics serendipitously in 1898, when accidentally heating diazomethane.

After studying with Heinrich Limpricht at the University of Greifswald he became Professor at the University of Munich till 1895. He was professor at the University of Tübingen from 1895 till his death in 1902.