Pechmann

Pechmann is a German surname. The name is most prominently associated with the Pechmann condensation, a named reaction in organic chemistry.

The Pechmann condensation is an acid-catalyzed reaction in which a phenol reacts with a beta-keto ester to yield a coumarin. Under strong acids such as sulfuric acid or polyphosphoric acid, the reaction proceeds via condensation, intramolecular cyclization, lactonization, and dehydration to give the coumarin framework. It is used to synthesize a variety of coumarins and related lactones and remains a standard method in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.

The reaction is named after Hermann Emil Pechmann, a German chemist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Beyond the chemistry, Pechmann is a surname borne by other individuals as well. In contemporary usage, it is primarily encountered in reference to the reaction and to people who carry the name, with varying degrees of prominence in different fields.