Members Win Nobel Prize in Chemistry

October 5, 2005 -- National Academy of Sciences members Robert H. Grubbs and Richard R. Schrock won the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Yves Chauvin for their work on metathesis, an important reaction in organic chemistry. In metathesis reactions, the carbon bonds in organic substances are broken and reformed between different carbon atoms, allowing the groups to switch places. The chemical industry frequently uses this reaction to create pharmaceuticals and advanced plastic materials. This application represents a great step forward for "green chemistry," reducing potentially hazardous waste through smarter production.

• Robert H. Grubbs
• Richard R. Schrock
• Nobel Assembly Announcement