Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 Awarded to Henri Kagan, Kenso Soai for Asymmetric Synthesis Breakthrough

Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis," the award-giving body announced on Wednesday.

Noble Committee for Chemistry Chair Heiner Linke explained that the prize recognises foundational chemistry related to molecular chirality — how molecules can occur in different mirror-image versions, similar to left and right hands. These chiral molecules have significant applications across chemistry and science.

The chemistry prize, announced third during Nobel week, followed prizes in medicine and physics declared on Monday and Tuesday respectively. The Nobel prizes, established since 1901 under Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel's will, have recognised scientific, literary and peace achievements for over a century.