Tokyo University of Science Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026
Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai and Professor Emeritus Henri B. Kagan share the Nobel Prize for their pioneering work on life’s molecular handedness
Tokyo University of Science
image:
Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai, along with Professor Emeritus Henri B. Kagan hav been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their pioneering work on life’s molecular handedness.
view moreCredit: Courtesy of Tokyo University of Science
The Core Concept
Many molecules are ‘chiral’ — it means they exist in two forms that are non-identical mirror images or enantiomers of each other, just like human hands. In living organisms, one mirror-image form often predominates over the other, a phenomenon known as homochirality, meaning “same handedness.” For example, 19 out of the 20 amino acids found in living organisms are exclusively left enantiomers. How such homochirality emerges spontaneously has been one of the most fundamental chemical mysteries.
The Journey
A major breakthrough came about in 1986 when Professor Emeritus Henri B. Kagan from the Faculty of Sciences of Orsay, Université Paris-Saclay, France, demonstrated how nonlinear effects in asymmetric chemical reactions can amplify an initial imbalance between enantiomers, generating an excess of one form over the other. Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai at Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, followed this breakthrough with his seminal work in developing asymmetric autocatalysis, a process in which the product of a reaction itself acts as a catalyst to promote the formation of additional product with the same molecular handedness. The Soai reaction demonstrated how an initial imbalance between enantiomers can be strongly amplified through a self-reinforcing chemical reaction.
Interestingly, Distinguished Prof. Soai arrived at his famed discovery after much trial and error — observations from an asymmetric chemical process that produced a significant non-linear effect prompted him to design an asymmetric autocatalytic method. This approach utilizes a specific enantiomer to drive its own formation, exponentially amplifying that enantiomer and, in turn, resulting in homochirality. By successfully applying a pyrimidyl alkanol product in an asymmetric autocatalytic reaction, he demonstrated the self-reinforcing chemical process now studied by scientists worldwide as the Soai reaction, which provides a model for investigating the amplification of molecular chirality and its possible implications for understanding the origin of biological homochirality.
The Significance
Together, the Professors’ findings hold significance for understanding and controlling asymmetric chemical reactions, with potential relevance to several fields, such as pharmaceutical synthesis and the development of flavors and fragrances. For example, many drug molecules occur as both enantiomers— however, while one is therapeutic, the other may even be harmful. Eliminating the non-active/harmful enantiomers during drug development is possible thanks to the combined work of Distinguished Prof. Soai and Prof. Emeritus Kagan. Recognizing the impact of their work, they have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 “for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.”
Upon receiving the news of winning the Nobel Prize, Distinguished Prof. Soai says, “Thank you so much. I’m very excited to hear the news. Good news, very good news.” He adds, “The Nobel Committee has kindly recognized our research and we are very pleased to receive the prize.”
Interestingly, chirality, the central concept in the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026, has been researched since the mid-19th century. In 1848, Louis Pasteur made a landmark discovery when he separated mirror-image crystals of a tartaric acid salt and showed that the two forms rotated plane-polarized light in opposite directions. In 1857, he made another important observation: microorganisms preferentially consumed one enantiomer of tartaric acid over the other during fermentation. These findings were some of the first to shed light on the chirality of life.
On how chirality is intricately tied to the question of life’s origin, Distinguished Prof. Soai says, “People have been wondering — especially Louis Pasteur who tried to induce chirality in molecules. He didn’t publish his findings but mentioned them in his lecture. So, we made a little contribution to solve the homochirality problem.”
Reference
Title of reference article: They made chemistry choose a mirror image
Source: NobelPrize.org.
URL: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2026/press-release/
About The Tokyo University of Science
Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan's development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators.
With a mission of “Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society," TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today's most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field.
Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/
About Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai from Tokyo University of Science, Japan
Distinguished Professor Kenso Soai is renowned for discovering the Soai reaction, a landmark example of asymmetric autocatalysis that demonstrates how molecular handedness can be amplified, providing insights into biological homochirality. His research focuses on asymmetric synthesis, chiral chemistry, autocatalysis, enantioselective catalysis, and the origin of chirality. He received his PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1979 and served as a visiting Professor at ESPCI Paris, Waseda University, and Louis Pasteur University.
No comments:
Post a Comment