Robert H. Grubbs

Facts

Robert H. Grubbs

Photo: R. Paz

Robert H. Grubbs
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005

Born: 27 February 1942, Possum Trot, KY, USA

Died: 19 December 2021, Duarte, CA, USA

Affiliation at the time of the award: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, USA

Prize motivation: “for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis”

Prize share: 1/3

Work

Organic substances—a multitude of chemical compounds that contain the element carbon—are the basis of all life. Metathesis is an important type of chemical reaction in assembling or synthesizing organic substances. In metathesis double bonds between carbon atoms are broken and reorganized at the same time as atomic groups change place. Around 1992 Robert Grubbs discovered a metallic compound that effectively facilitates metathesis and is stable in the air. Metathesis has enabled more effective and environmentally sound processes in industry.

To cite this section
MLA style: Robert H. Grubbs – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Tue. 12 Nov 2024. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2005/grubbs/facts/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

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.

Illustration

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.