summary: the 2021 nobel prize in chemistry was awarded for the discovery of organocatalysis. organocatalysis is the idea of using simple, organic molecules to

summary: the 2021 nobel prize in chemistry was awarded for the discovery of organocatalysis. organocatalysis is the idea of using simple, organic molecules to catalyze chemical reactions and accelerate the production of molecules needed for batteries, drugs, shoes, and other goods. before organocatalysis, scientists assumed there were only two ways to catalyze chemical reactions: (1) metals and (2) enzymes. with metals, the problem is an inability to scale. oxygen and water degrade metals, but building environments free of oxygen and water is impractical in industry, even if straightforward in labs. in 2000, benjamin list and david macmillan independently realized that full enzymes are not required to speed up reactions. instead, only key bits are necessary, particularly the ability to lend or accept electrons. altering electrons can loosen bonds between atoms and break up molecules, allowing new bonds -- and thus new molecules -- to form.