Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai Win 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Awarded For | Pioneering contributions to asymmetric organic synthesis |
| Joint Winners | Henri B. Kagan (France) and Kenso Soai (Japan) |
| Key Discovery | Non-linear effects (Kagan) and autocatalysis (Soai) in asymmetric synthesis |
| Field Importance | Enables selective production of chiral molecules (e.g., pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals) |
| Chirality | Property where molecules are non-superimposable mirror images (e.g., left/right hands) |
| Kagan's Work | Demonstrated small catalyst chirality changes can cause large reaction selectivity differences |