Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to Kagan and Soai for research solving 'mirror image' mystery
STOCKHOLM — Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their efforts to resolve mysterious mirror images in chemical molecules, a discovery that transformed modern medicine. Many molecules of life come in versions that look alike but aren’t exactly identical, like right and left hands. One mirror image of the chemical carvone smells like mint, for example, while…
Stockholm — Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for their groundbreaking work in unraveling the mystery of mirror images in chemical molecules, a discovery that has revolutionized modern medicine. Many molecules found in life exist in versions that appear identical but are not exactly the same, similar to right and left hands.
One mirror image of the chemical carvone, for instance, smells like mint, while the other emits a scent of caraway. When scientists design drugs to treat diseases, they must be selective about which mirror image they are utilizing, aiming for the version that will effectively treat a cold rather than exacerbate the symptoms. Kagan and Soai developed methods to influence the chemistry to choose a specific side, designing and manipulating reactions to generate the desired mirror image.
According to Peter Somfai, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, "This is probably the coolest experiment in organic chemistry." Their groundbreaking discoveries have fundamentally transformed our understanding of molecular chirality, explaining how chirality is created, amplified, and transmitted.
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