Hans von Pechmann

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.
He was born in Nürnberg. 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 until his death. He killed himself by taking cyanide, aged 52.