Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced the winners, with the duo sharing a prize totaling 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.7 million Cdn).
Their work has solved a long-standing chemical mystery dating back over a century – the spontaneous emergence of homochirality. This breakthrough has been instrumental for chemists developing reactions for pharmaceutical production, as stated by Heiner Linke, the chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
Kagan, aged 95 and from France, is associated with Université Paris-Saclay in Orsay, France. Soai, born in Japan in 1950, conducts his research at the Tokyo University of Science. The award recognizes their significant contributions to the field of chemistry.
The laureates were praised for their ability to influence chemical reactions to selectively produce mirror-image molecules, crucial for pharmaceutical design. Soai expressed his excitement upon receiving the news, noting it as one of the most exhilarating days of his life. He shared that he was shopping near his home when contacted by the Nobel committee.
The Nobel Prize in Literature is scheduled for announcement on Thursday, followed by the peace prize on Friday, and the economics prize on October 12. The Nobel prizes will be presented to the winners on December 10, in accordance with Alfred Nobel’s will, which stipulated the recognition of individuals who have made significant contributions for the benefit of humanity.