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Updated October 6th, 2021 at 16:20 IST

Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2021: Benjamin List, David WC win for creating molecular tool

This new invention by the two chemists has made chemistry “greener” and has significantly influenced pharmaceutical research. They have developed molecular tool

Reported by: Harsh Vardhan
Nobel Prize 2021
IMAGE: Twitter/@NobelPrize | Image:self
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The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded this year’s Nobel prize for Chemistry to two scientists Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan, on October 6. The scientists will share the award for their development of a precise new tool for molecular construction: organocatalysis. According to the Nobel Prize official press release, this new invention by the two chemists has made chemistry “greener” and has significantly influenced pharmaceutical research.

Why were the chemists awarded?

List and MacMillan have been recognised for their contribution in making molecular construction easier by inventing a tool that helps in catalysis for producing asymmetric molecules. The construction tools have been of great service to the scientific communities as they help chisel out the required and desired molecules. 

The term organocatalysis was coined by MacMillan and this method in chemistry is being compared to a “gold rush”. Giving more insight into the concept, the press release stated, 'Not only do organocatalysts often consist of simple molecules, in some cases – just like nature’s enzymes – they can work on a conveyor belt. Previously, in chemical production processes it was necessary to isolate and purify each intermediate product, otherwise, the volume of byproducts would be too great. This led to some of the substance being lost at every step of a chemical construction.' 

The concept of Organocatalysis has significantly developed since 2000, thanks to the initiative by List and MacMillan. The efforts from both chemists will further help researchers as they can now more efficiently construct anything from new pharmaceuticals to molecules that can capture light in solar cells, said the press release.

Background of the winners

Born in Germany’s Frankfurt in 1968, List is the Director of the Max Planck Institute in Germany and completed his PhD from the Goethe University in Frankfurt. On the other hand, David W.C. MacMillan is a Professor at the USA’S Princeton University and completed his PhD in 1996 from the University of California. He was born in 1968 in Bellshill, UK. Both the chemists will enjoy a fat cash prize of Rs 8.5 crore (10 million Swedish kronor) as perks of the prize.

Image: Twitter/@Nobel Prize

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Published October 6th, 2021 at 16:20 IST

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