Ryoji Noyori
Facts
Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.
Ryoji Noyori
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2001
Born: 3 September 1938, Kobe, Japan
Affiliation at the time of the award: Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
Prize motivation: “for their work on chirally catalysed hydrogenation reactions”
Prize share: 1/4
Work
Many molecules appear in two different reversed forms that have different chemical and biological effects. Through special catalysts—substances that facilitate chemical reactions without being consumed in them—it is possible to bring about a process in which only one of the reversed forms is produced. In 1968 Ryoji Noyori developed methods for using catalysts with these properties during hydrogenation—reactions in which hydrogen gas is added to a chemical compound. Among other things, this has enabled production of various types of medication.
Play a game!
Chiral objects, like left and right hands, cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. Find other ‘chiral’ objects in this game.
Nobel Prizes and laureates
Six prizes were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. The 12 laureates' work and discoveries range from proteins' structures and machine learning to fighting for a world free of nuclear weapons.
See them all presented here.
