Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work in uncovering non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. The Nobel Committee for Chemistry praised their solution to the age-old chemical mystery of how homochirality can spontaneously emerge. Their developed chemical reactions have been hailed as remarkable and have significantly impacted the design of reactions for pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Kagan, aged 95 and hailing from France, is associated with Université Paris-Saclay in Orsay, France, while Soai, born in Japan in 1950, conducts research at the Tokyo University of Science. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences made the announcement in Stockholm, with the winners set to share a prize sum of 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.7 million Cdn).
The discoveries made by Kagan and Soai are crucial for chemists designing reactions for pharmaceutical production, as they enable the selection of specific mirror-image outcomes in chemical processes. Soai expressed his immense excitement upon learning about the prestigious award, calling it one of the most thrilling moments of his life. He recounted receiving the news while out shopping near his home.
The Nobel Prize in Literature will be revealed on Thursday, followed by the peace prize on Friday, and the economics prize on October 12. The Nobel laureates will officially receive their awards on December 10, the date of Alfred Nobel’s passing, as per his will, which stipulated that his estate be used to honor those who have brought the greatest benefit to humanity.