STOCKHOLM — Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai were named the winners of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday, recognized for their groundbreaking research into non-linear effects and autocatalysis within asymmetric organic synthesis.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the honor in Stockholm, noting that the laureates’ work addresses a scientific puzzle that has persisted for more than a century. Heiner Linke, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, stated in a press release that Kagan and Soai “have provided a solution to a chemical mystery that is over a century old: how homochirality can emerge spontaneously.” He further praised the reactions they developed as “spectacular.” According to the committee, these discoveries have been pivotal for chemists designing pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
Kagan, who was born in France, is affiliated with Université Paris-Sud in Orsay. Soai, a 95-year-old Japanese scientist, is associated with the Tokyo University of Science. One of Soai’s notable experiments has been designated the “Soai reaction” in his honor.
The chemistry award follows a week of Nobel announcements beginning Monday, when the prize for medicine was given to three scientists for creating a tool that utilizes light to investigate brain function. On Tuesday, the physics Nobel was awarded to a researcher for efforts to understand a rare category of neutrinos. The literature prize is scheduled for Thursday, the peace prize for Friday, and the Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for Monday.
The 12 million Swedish kronor prize fund, approximately $1.2 million, will be shared between the two recipients. This year’s chemistry laureates follow last year’s winners, who were honored for developing molecular structures capable of trapping large volumes of gas, a development with potential applications in capturing greenhouse gases or harvesting moisture from arid regions.
The Soai reaction is definitely a favorite in organic synthesis courses. Glad the Nobel committee finally caught up with this classic demonstration of chirality.
Honestly, I expected someone younger to win this year. The committee seems to be favoring foundational theories over recent flashy discoveries again.
How does this impact pharmaceutical manufacturing on a large scale? I wonder if big pharma has already adopted these autocatalytic methods.
Wait, Soai is 95? That is an incredible career span. Respect to the veteran scientist still pushing boundaries at that age.
Finally! This solves a puzzle that has baffled chemists for over a century. Truly spectacular recognition for such fundamental work.