Understanding the Nobel prize-winning discovery in chemistry

Debarati Basu, Makaut WB

Benjamin List of Germany and David W.C. MacMillan of the United States were honoured jointly with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021. They were awarded for their development of asymmetric organocatalysis. Their findings were an environmentally safer, cleaner, cheaper, and more effective method to build molecules. This method is applicable in making different kinds of compounds which include medicines and pesticides also. The main work of the two scientists focused on building molecules that require the individual atoms to get linked together. The atoms are linked in particular arrangements which include a difficult as well as slow task. Until the start of 2000 scientists used only the above-mentioned methods or catalysts that make the process fast. They use either metal catalysts or complex enzymes.

John Lorsch believed the work to be like ‘molecular carpentry’. According to John Lorsch, the scientists were able to find ways to speed up the chemical linkages so that it happens in either the right-handed or left-handed direction. John Lorsch is the director of NIH. NIH stands for National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The Nobel panel explains the importance of the ability of the new atoms in controlling the orientation. They said that failure of this ability will cause unwanted side effects. They gave an example of the drug thalidomide which has severe side effects as it causes birth defects among infants.

Peter Somfai said that Organocatalysis played an important role in the world economy. He added that catalysis is estimated to be responsible for 35% of the world’s GDP. This environmentally friendly method is expected to make a huge difference. Peter is another member of the Nobel committee.

Coining of the term organocatalysis

David MacMillan while publishing his results realized his discovered process of catalysts should be given a name. He gave the name organocatalysis as he wanted other researchers could easily understand that a lot more about organic catalysis is yet to be discovered. David MacMillan submitted his results before Benjamin List in January 2000 for publishing in a scientific journal. In the journal, it was mentioned that he is introducing a new strategy for organocatalysis that will be responsive to a range of asymmetric transformations.

Significance of the work

Benjamin List and David MacMillan developed a new tool that is eco-friendly and effective and is used for molecular construction. This tool is called organocatalysis which is of great importance for the pharmaceutical sector.

Molecular construction plays a vital role in various research areas as well as industries that are dependent on chemistry. They play important role in the formation of durable and elastic materials, energy storage in batteries, or preventing the progression of diseases. Catalysts play important role in these works where substances have control and accelerate the chemical reaction without getting involved in the final product. Considering the example of the transformation of toxic substances into non-toxic substances be the catalysts in the exhaust fumes. Human bodies have enzymes which are a kind of catalysts that are required for sustaining life.

Scientists in the past believed that there are two types of catalysts only available which are metals and enzymes. Benjamin List and David MacMillan in 2000 developed another type of catalysts other than the conventional two types. This third type was called asymmetric organocatalysis and it helped in building small organic molecules. Benjamin List and David MacMillan for this finding got Noble Prize in chemistry 2021. According to Johan Åqvist, the conception of the process is simple. He is one of the chairs of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.

Organic Catalysts consists of a framework that is stable and composed of carbon atoms to which other chemical groups that are active can attach. It consists of elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus commonly. Thus making these catalysts environmentally safer and cheaper for production. The driving force of asymmetric catalysis comes from the rapid expansion while using organic catalysts. During the building of molecules, it may happen that in some situations molecules are formed that are mirror images of each other. Chemists use one of them particularly for the production of pharmaceuticals.

David MacMillan and Benjamin List are the two researchers who showed the pathway to organocatalysis. They showed the use of organic catalysis in driving a large number of chemical reactions. These reactions can be utilized in effectively constructing various new things by the researchers. They can be utilized in constructing new pharmaceuticals to molecules that can capture light from solar cells. 

Conclusion

Organocatalysis can be utilized by researchers to produce huge volumes of various kinds of asymmetric molecules very easily. For example, this method can be used in the artificial production of curative substances. These substances can be isolated in little amounts from rare plants or deep-sea organisms. This method is also utilized in the pharmaceutical sector. For example, they are used in the production of paroxetine, a medication used to treat depression as well as anxiety.

According to the Nobel panel, the work of the two scientists made the production of important drugs which include anti-viral and anti-anxiety drugs simpler. Benjamin List and David MacMillan showed us how simple ideas are sometimes very hard to imagine. They were able to successfully find an ingenious solution that the researchers for decades were struggling to find. Thus organocatalysis can prove to be a blessing for the entire humankind.

Also read: Chandrima Shaha: The first-ever woman president of the Indian National Science Academy

Reference:

1. Nobel in chemistry honors “greener” way to build molecules. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-nobel-prize-chemistry-honors-tool.html
2. The nobel prize in chemistry 2021.NobelPrize.Org. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2021/list/facts/
3. The nobel prize in chemistry 2021.https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2021/macmillan/facts/

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