Chemistry Nobel honours work on molecular handedness

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on 7 October, recognising Kagan and Soai for discoveries involving non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. They will share a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor. [1]

Some molecules come in two mirror-image forms, much like left and right hands. The Academy notes that proteins in human cells use only one of the two forms of amino acids. The laureates’ work shows how laboratory reactions can favour one form over the other. [1]

In 1986, Kagan described reactions in which the balance of mirror-image components in a catalyst did not translate directly into the balance of the product. Soai later demonstrated a self-reinforcing reaction: in one experiment, an initial two per cent excess of one form grew to 87 per cent. In a subsequent reaction, a small chance imbalance could grow until one form made up 99.99 per cent of the product. [2]