Nobel Prize 2021 in Chemistry: What is 'organocatalysis' which won the laurel?

Scientists Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan won this year's Nobel Prize 2021 for Chemistry, on October 6, for developing a new way for building molecules known as asymmetric organocatalysis. Goran Hansson, secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, made the announcements ending the two-decade-long wait of the chemists. The scientists had first came up with the concept, which uses organic catalysts, back in 2000, according to the official press release. 

The concept of Organocatalysis

Both List and MacMillan had independently developed a catalysis concept for molecular construction two decades ago. Catalysts are a fundamental tool for chemists as they are substances that accelerate chemical reactions without becoming part of the final product. Even the human boy is full of catalysts like certain proteins that help in the quick digestion of food which otherwise would've taken a long time. 

Before List-MacMillan's concept came into light, experts believed that metals and enzymes were the only two types of catalysts available. It was this third catalyst called the asymmetric organocatalysis by List and MacMillan which builds upon just small organic molecules and won them the prize. This concept generally uses organic catalysts which according to experts are both environmentally friendly and cheap to produce. Moreover, the organic catalysts also offer the advantage of a stable framework of carbon atoms, which can attach a vast number of active chemical groups, thus allowing a wide range of reactions.

According to the release, Johan Åqvist, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry said, "This concept for catalysis is as simple as it is ingenious, and the fact is that many people have wondered why we didn’t think of it earlier".

Utilities of organic catalysts

The demand for organic catalysts has seen a rapid expansion for their ability of asymmetric catalysis which is the key ingredient in producing pharmaceuticals. Experts involved in pharmaceuticals use the molecules that are produced as a mirror-image of each other, during asymmetric catalysis, just like our palms when placed together. In pharmaceutical production, chemists require only one-half of the molecules and chisel out the other one. 

According to an official release, researchers can now construct anything from new pharmaceuticals to molecules that can capture light in solar cells, more efficiently using this concept. 

Calling the announcement as a "huge surprise", List, who is on a family vacation in Amsterdam said that he did not expect he'd receive the honour, as per the Associated Press. 

Image: Tiwtter/@NobelPrize