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French and US chemists win Nobel for carbon "dance"

Posted on: Wednesday, 5 October 2005, 08:09 CDT

By Simon Johnson

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Frenchman Yves Chauvin and Americans Robert Grubbs and Richard Schrock won the 2005 Nobel Chemistry prize for showing how to tailor-make molecules for cheaper, cleaner chemicals and drugs to combat major diseases.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded them the 10 million crown prize for work in metathesis, where molecules "dance round and change partners" to create new molecules.

In an unusual step, two men and two women from the committee then took to the floor of the wood-panelled academy hall and danced quietly from partner to partner to give a simple illustration of the trio's complex work.

Their research into metathesis laid the groundwork for the production of new drugs to treat illnesses like Alzheimer's, Down's Syndrome, HIV/AIDS and cancer, as well as having uses in making food, chemicals and plastics.

"Imagination will soon be the only limit to what molecules can be built," said the Academy citation, calling metathesis "an example of how important basic science has been applied for the benefit of man, society and the environment."

Describing the prize as "very meaningful," Schrock said he "might buy a bottle of wine to celebrate, a bottle that's been too expensive until now."

"We have shown how to make catalysts for this reaction, now organic chemists can use this reaction for many things, for example for making drugs," he told Reuters by telephone from his home in Massachusetts in the United States.

Grubbs, who was lecturing in New Zealand, said the news was "still sinking in. I'll probably have a couple of drinks and try to get some sleep."

CHANGING PARTNERS

Metathesis, which means "changing places," refers to the reorganisation of groups of atoms of carbon which form the building blocks of all organic life on earth.

Chauvin, who is 74 and works at the French Petroleum Institute, provided the "recipe" for this in 1971.

Schrock, who is 60 and works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Grubbs, who is 63 and works at the California Institute of Technology, developed effective and more stable catalysts to reproduce the reaction.

"The laureates' work has opened up fantastic possibilities in one of chemistry's most central areas," Hakan Wennerstrom of the Swedish Academy said.

"We tend to only think about the pharmaceutical industry, but there is also the vast biotech sector."

Although the research has led to new drugs and plastic materials, only a small part of its potential applications have so far been looked into including the synthesis of insect pheromones, herbicides and additives for fuels.

The process, which cuts the number of steps necessary to synthesise new molecules, thereby reducing cost, is also yet to be widely used in industry.

Adoption by manufacturers will be "a great step forward for 'green chemistry', reducing potential hazardous waste through smarter production," the Academy said.

Source: REUTERS

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