Born Hermann Emil Louis Fischer in Germany, Fischer was best known for his work in the field of chemistry, particularly the study of sugars and purines. He also developed the Fischer projection, a symbolic way of drawing asymmetric carbon atoms, and discovered Fischer esterification, a special type of reflux esterification of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a acid catalyst. Fischer studied at the University of Strasbourg in 1872, and earned a doctorate in chemistry with his study of phenolphthalein under Professor Adolf von Baeyer. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1902, as well as numerous other prizes. Fischer was born in Euskirchen, Germany on October 9, 1852. He was the only child of a German businessman. Fischer spent three years with a private tutor, then went to a local school. Two years later, he transferred to school in Wetzlar, Germany, then spent two more years in Bonn, Germany, when he was attacked by gastritis. He passed his final exam in 1869 with great distinction. His father wanted him to go into the family lumber business until his son was not fit to do so. According to one account, he said: “[Emil] is too stupid to be a businessman. He's better off as a student. »Young Emil wanted to study natural sciences, mainly physics. However, he was sent to the University of Bonn in 1871 to study chemistry. He also attended lectures by August Kekulé, Engelbach and Zincke, August Kundt and Paul Groth on many subjects outside his field, including physics and mineralogy. In 1872, Fischer still wanted to study physics. He lets himself be convinced by his cousin Otto Fischer to accompany him to the University of Strasbourg. There he met P...... middle of paper ......rification.shtmPediaView. (nd). Active site. Retrieved from PediaView: http://pediaview.com/openpedia/Active_siteThe Nobel Foundation. (2013). Emil Fischer - Biographical. From the Nobel Prize: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1902/fischer-bio.htmlWikiMedia. (2014, 4 19). Adolf von Baeyer. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_von_BaeyerWikiMedia. (2014, 1 25). Fischer's indole synthesis. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer_indole_synthesisWikiMedia. (2014, 4 5). Fischer-Seier esterification. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer_esterificationWikiMedia. (2014, 1 2). Hermann Emil Fischer. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Emil_FischerWikiMedia. (2014, 3 30). Purine. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purine