Nobel Prize Chemistry 2022

  • IASbaba
  • October 8, 2022
  • 0
Governance
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In News: This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry has gone to Carolyn Bertozzi and Barry Sharpless of the United States and Morten Meldal of Denmark who have made a strong case for adopting an alternative approach to producing new complex molecules, which minimises waste and increases overall efficiency.

About:

  • Sharpless is the originator of the concept of ‘Click Chemistry’.
  • He found the first chemical reaction that satisfied the criteria for ‘Click’ reactions using a nitrogen-containing cyclic compound and discovered that use of copper as a catalyst eliminated the by-products.
  • Carolyn Bertozzi in 2004 developed a few ‘click’ reactions that work inside living organisms.
  • The name “Click”, has been taken from the click sound that airline seat belts make when they are fastened.
  • While trying to produce any particular compound or a complex molecule, one must look for starting molecules that easily react with each other or fit into each other, or ‘click’ with each other.
  • The reacting molecules should be in a made-for-each-other kind of situation for this particular reaction.
  • This makes the resultant chemical reaction more efficient.

Significance:

  • Mimicking nature is expected to bring in effectiveness and sustainability in man-made processes and products as well.
  • Vast potential in the pharmaceutical industry – The industry uses a lot of naturally occurring but industrially synthesised molecules. Every kilogram of a drug produced results in the generation of nearly 25-100 kg of chemical waste, making it inefficient.
  • Bertozzi’s methods have shown the promise of treating advanced cancer. Cancer drugs based on her approach are now undergoing clinical trials.

Source: The Hindu

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of: (2021)

  1. clonal propagation of crop plants.
  2. developing genetically modified crop plants.
  3. production of plant growth substances.
  4. production of biofertilizers.

 

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