"Behind the Molecules"

Science is a grand story that has been written over centuries. At every point in history, scientists have added pages to this great tale. As this article is being written, somewhere in the world, a scientist working tirelessly in a laboratory may be adding a sentence to this ongoing story. Some discoveries in this story make a loud impact, while others may make a softer sound, but each of them has stealthily changed the world. In this article, I will introduce you to one such discovery and the group of scientists who added a special page to the great tale of science.

When you look at a beautiful image on a television screen or a mobile phone, do you ever think that this beautiful image is created by a cluster of carbon atoms connected together? Or when you feel relief from a headache or a muscle pain after taking a pill, do you realize that the relief comes from a chemical compound made up of carbon atoms? In modern smartphones or thin-screen televisions, if you look closely at the display, you might see the term "OLED" (Organic Light Emitting Diode). OLED stands for "Organic Light Emitting Diode." This means that each pixel on your screen is an OLED. Think about how tiny each pixel is. The special thing about these screens is that each pixel can be controlled independently. This allows us to see highly detailed and clear images. The light emitted by each of these diodes comes from an organic molecule. In simpler terms, it is a molecule based on carbon atoms. Every active ingredient in a pharmaceutical product is also an organic molecule made by combining carbon atoms.

Now you can understand how important it is to combine carbon atoms in such applications. If the chemical reactions to combine these carbon atoms had not been discovered, our lives might have remained primitive for many years. Creating organic molecules for such special applications is a complex process, and the science behind it is called synthetic organic chemistry. This is the branch of chemistry where we design molecules based on our needs. We can do this on paper or using computer software. We combine previous experimental data, our knowledge of chemistry, and special software to design new molecules. After designing, the big challenge is creating the actual molecule. Most of the time, we have to modify existing molecules and combine them to create the desired one. This is a very difficult and challenging process. The reason for this difficulty is that these molecules behave in very specific ways and are not easily manipulated. In many cases, we need to create new bonds between carbon atoms. After the chemical reaction occurs, we need to separate the by-products to purify the desired molecule. This purification process is also complicated, especially if both the desired product and the by-products are in the same physical state (for example, both are liquids). The final yield of the molecule is often low, which can be a financial problem.

To address these challenges, chemists have been trying for decades to develop efficient chemical reactions that produce high yields of organic molecules. One such scientist is Akira Suzuki, a Japanese chemist born in 1930. He spent most of his life working in chemistry and made a significant discovery in the 1970s. He developed an efficient method for creating organic molecules using palladium metal and boronic acid. This reaction also allows easy removal of any unwanted by-products due to the high density of palladium. Although he had the potential to make a lot of money from his discovery, Suzuki decided to share his findings freely with the world. This reaction is known as the "Suzuki coupling."

Another Japanese chemist, Ei-ichi Negishi, developed a similar reaction based on palladium and zinc, which also forms carbon-carbon bonds. This reaction is known as the "Negishi coupling." At the same time, Richard F. Heck, another chemist, developed a similar reaction based on palladium and halides (chlorine, bromine, etc.). This reaction is known as the "Heck reaction." These discoveries, made by these remarkable scientists in the 1970s, have contributed significantly to the field of synthetic organic chemistry. Today, thanks to their work, we benefit from technologies like advanced phone screens and effective medicines.

In 2010, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to these three scientists for their contributions to the field of organic chemistry. Although many people may not have heard of their names before, their discoveries have quietly changed the world. The time they spent working on these chemical reactions has brought light to our lives for many years. Their work shows that if we dedicate ourselves to a field, we too can change the world. And today, when you admire the beautiful screen of a mobile phone or feel relief from medicine, remember to thank these scientists.

This article has been brought to you by "Dr. C."