Two Scientists Awarded the Nobel Prize for Developing Molecular Tool

The Nobel Prize was awarded to U.S based scientist David Macmillan and Benjamin List from Germany for the development of a tool called organocatysis. The tool produces molecules through acceleration of chemical reactions and can be used in a wide range of applications.

H.N Cheng, president of the American Chemical Society said, “We’re using similar techniques shown by the Nobel Laureates that are applied from drugs to agriculture to food additive to advanced materials.”
Dr Macmillan and Dr List developed the catalyst which could be used as a basic tool by chemists to control chemical reactions without letting them integrate in the final product. The Royal Swedish Academy said the tool can used for making various materials including plastics, pharmaceuticals and even perfumes.
The new catalysts can help reduce waste and may not require isolation or purification of products in between steps. They can be efficient in driving asymmetric catalysis and minimize waste. The field has undergone tremendous development over the past decade to increase the efficiency of enhance usage in a variety of chemical processes. Dr MacMillan said, “Everything around us is basically built on chemical reactions, and we have to get better at doing things differently, faster and in one step. That is critically important.”
Both the winners of the Nobel Prize will get to divide the 10 million Swedish Kronor prize which amounts to approximately $1.13 million.

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