Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai share the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In its response on 7 October, the American Chemical Society explained that the award recognises their discoveries involving asymmetric organic synthesis.
Some molecules occur in forms that are mirror images of one another. The researchers’ work helped explain how chemical reactions can favour one form, and how a reaction product can help generate more molecules with the same handedness.
The society linked these discoveries to greater control over chemical synthesis, with relevance to medicines and materials. Its announcement also points readers to the researchers’ earlier papers. The award recognises foundational chemistry research; it is not an announcement of a newly approved medicine or a finished consumer product.