The chemistry prize was shared by Benjamin List, of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, in Mülheim an der Ruhr, and David MacMillan, of Princeton University.Their prizewinning work, published in 2000, was conducted independently, and unknown to each other at the time, but with the same end in mind. This was to break the stranglehold of enzymes and transition metals on the field of catalysis.Some chemical reactions proceed with alacrity. Most, though―including many that are industrially important―need a helping hand in the form of a catalyst.Evolution has provided a goodly range of these in the form of enzymes, which are large, complicated and sometimes temperamental protein molecules, but which have the advantage that they can create pure versions of what are known as optical isomers.These are molecules that have two forms which are mirror images of each other. This is important in the drug industry, for the different versions, known as enantiomers, can have different effects in the body.Also, if you choose the right enzymes, it is often possible to carry out multi-step reactions in only a few stages.Transition metals are those in the middle of the periodic table―copper, nickel and iron, for example.
诺贝尔化学奖由位于鲁尔河畔米尔海姆州马克斯・普朗克煤炭研究所的本杰明・利斯特和普林斯顿大学的大卫・麦克米伦共享。他们的获奖作品发表于2000年，是独立进行的，当时彼此都不知情，但目的是一致的――为了打破酶和过渡金属在催化领域的束缚。有些化学反应进行得很快。然而，大多数企业，包括许多在工业领域具有重要地位的企业需要催化剂的帮助。进化以酶的形式提供了大量的这类物质，这些酶是大型的、复杂的、有时还会变化无常的蛋白质分子，但它们的优点是可以产生被称为光学异构体的纯净版本。这些分子有两种形式且互为镜像。这在制药行业很重要，因为不同对映体，对人体会产生不同的作用。此外，如果你选择了正确的酶，通常只需几个阶段就可以进行多步反应。过渡金属是那些位于元素周期表中间的金属，例如铜、镍和铁。
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