Hermann Emil Fischer (October 9, 1852 - July 15, 1919) was a German chemist and recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1902. Fischer was born in Euskirchen, near Cologne, the son of a businessman. After graduating he wished to study natural sciences, but his father compelled him to work in the family business until determining that his son was unsuitable.

Fischer then attended the University of Bonn in 1872, but switched to the University of Strasbourg in 1872. He earned his doctorate in 1874 with his study of phthalein and was appointed to a position at the university. In 1875 he followed one of his teachers to the University of Munich and became a professor of chemistry. In 1881 he became a professor at the University of Erlangen.

Fischer is noted for his work on sugars among other work the organic synthesis of (+) glucose ^[1] and purines.

His name can still be found in the names of many chemical reactions and concepts:

• Fischer indole synthesis
• Fischer projection
• Fischer oxazole synthesis
• Fischer peptide synthesis
• Fischer phenylhydrazine and oxazone reaction
• Fischer reduction
• Fischer-Speier esterification

German Chemical Society medals are named after him

See also

• List of chemists

External link

• Biography at nobel.se

References

^[1] E. Fischer, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1890, 23, 799 ± 805.