Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe

Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe was born in 27^th of September 1818, was a German Chemist. Kolbe developed the idea that organic compound could be derived from inorganic ones, directly or indirectly, by substitution processes. He validated his theory by converting carbon disulfide, in several steps, to acetic acid

He worked on the electrolysis of the salts of fatty and other acids and prepared salicylic acid, a building block of aspirin in a process called Kolbe synthesis or Kolbe-Schmitt reaction.

Hermann Kolbe was the first person to use the word synthesis in the present day meaning. He died 25^th of November 1884.